PWBA Tour Release
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2016 WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL BOWLING TOUR TO MAKE STOP IN LEXINGTON LEXINGTON – The Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour will build on the success of its re-launch last season by expanding to 14 events, including the return of the PWBA Players Championship, in 2016. For the first time in more than 15 years, the PWBA will make a tour stop in Lexington. The PWBA Lexington Open will be held June 30-July 1 at Collins Bowling Eastland Lanes. A growing sport for girls in the state of Kentucky with 99 high schools and nine colleges fielding teams, Morehead State alums Liz Johnson and Kelly Kulick, along with former Pikeville bowler Kayla Bandy, are expected to compete in the PWBA Lexington Open. “The new PWBA Tour proved be a huge success in 2015 and the 2016 schedule builds upon the momentum with more events, more prize money and more exposure,” said Kulick, a six-time major champion. “The return of the PWBA Players Championship as a fourth major is another important step in creating a great structure for the future of the PWBA Tour.” The tour will kick off with the PWBA Las Vegas Open from April 28-May 1 at Texas Station in Las Vegas and will conclude with the Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship at a date and site to be announced following the U.S. Women’s Open in August. The PWBA Players Championship will make its return June 23-26 at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a $100,000 prize fund and a $20,000 top prize. Open only to PWBA members, the PWBA Players Championship once again will be a major event on the PWBA Tour. “This is the second year for the reformed PWBA Tour, the tour had such great participation that they expanded this year,” said Eastland General Manager Jason Uchwal. “It gives young ladies a great opportunity to compete on a national stage and earn a living in the only sport that I believe is non discriminatory. You don’t have to be a certain height, weight, or sex to compete at the highest level of this sport. You just have to be dedicated to perfecting your game.” The PWBA Tour, which had 11 events in its return in 2015, is entering the second year with support of a funding commitment from the United States Bowling Congress and Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America. Four of the 14 events on the 2016 tour will be major events – the USBC Queens, the PWBA Players Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open plus the Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship. Six venues that played host to PWBA Tour events last season are on the 2016 schedule, along with eight new venues. Standard events will continue to have $60,000 in guaranteed prize money per event with a $10,000 minimum first-place prize. 2016 PWBA Tour Schedule: • April 28-May 1: PWBA Las Vegas Open, Texas Station, Las Vegas, Nev. • May 5-8: PWBA Sonoma County Open, Double Decker Lanes, Rohnert Park, Calif. • May 12-15: PWBA Storm Sacramento Open, Steve Cook’s Fireside Lanes, Sacramento, Calif. • May 20-26: *USBC Queens, The Orleans, Las Vegas, Nev. • June 2-5: PWBA Wichita Open, Northrock Lanes, Wichita, Kan. • June 9-12: PWBA Lincoln Open, Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb. • June 16-19: PWBA Greater Detroit Open, Super Bowl, Canton, Mich. • June 23-26: *PWBA Players Championship, The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, Green Bay, Wisc. • June 30-July 3: PWBA Lexington Open, Collins Bowling Center - Eastland, LEXINGTON • July 7-10: PWBA Rochester Open, AMF Gates Lanes, Rochester, NY • July 14-17: PWBA St. Petersburg-Clearwater Open, Seminole Lanes, St. Petersburg, Fla. • July 29-31: PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, Bowl On Bellaire, Houston • August 2-7: *U.S. Women’s Open, TBD • TBD: *Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship, TBD *Major PWBA Tour Event.