PWBA Heads to Texas for Lubbock Sports Open This Week

With the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour now in full swing, the tour will make its first stop in Lubbock, Texas, since 1998 this week.

The best female bowlers in the world will descend upon the West Texas city for the PWBA Lubbock Sports Open starting Friday at South Plains Lanes. The PWBA Tour got underway last week with the PWBA Storm Sacramento Open.

The players will take part in 12 games of qualifying Friday before the top 16 advance to round-robin match play Saturday. The event concludes with the stepladder finals at 6:30 p.m. Central on Saturday. All rounds will be broadcast live on Xtra Frame.

"Now that the PWBA Tour is back, it's very emotional for a lot of us," said PWBA star Missy Parkin of Laguna Hills, California, who finished third in Sacramento. "The round of applause we got before the first round in Sacramento almost made me cry. I'm not an especially emotional girl but those first three or four frames were tough."

Parkin will be joined in the field in Lubbock by a host of PWBA stars, including Sacramento winner Elysia Current of Ephrata, Pennsylvania.

Several players who missed the Sacramento stop due to the special Bowling World Open in Toyko, Japan, last week will be in Lubbock. Among them are PWBA Tour spokeswoman Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, Team USA member Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, Colombian Clara Guerrero and 2015 United States Bowling Congress Queens champion Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York.

The last time the PWBA Tour made a stop in Lubbock was for the 1998 AMF Lubbock Texas Open. At that event, PWBA Hall of Famer Tish Johnson defeated Australia's Carol Gianotti, 268-211, to win the title.

The PWBA Tour ceased operations in 2003 and has been rejuvenated this year thanks to the support from the bowling industry. The PWBA Lubbock Sports Open is one of 11 events being held this season.

Bowling fans can watch all the action live on Xtra Frame. For more information, visit XtraFrame.tv. For updates on the PWBA Tour, visit PWBA.com.

About the PWBA: The Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) originally was formed in 1960. The PWBA Tour has events throughout the country, offering high-level competition and top prize money for women bowlers. The PWBA is supported by the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).

PWBA LUBBOCK SPORTS OPEN

At South Plains Lanes, Lubbock, Texas

Schedule of events                 

Thursday, July 16

4-5 p.m. - Practice session for all tournament bowlers

Friday, July 17

8-9 a.m. - Practice session for all tournament bowlers

11 a.m. - Qualifying Round 1 (six games)

4 p.m. - Qualifying Round 2 (six games - field cut to top 16)

Saturday, July 18

8:30 a.m. - Top 16 round-robin match play (eight games)

1:30 p.m. - Top 16 round-robin match play (eight games - field cut to top four)

6:30 p.m. - Stepladder finals