Thursday, July 1, 2021
PBA Owner Bowlero Corporation Going Public In Merger With Isos Acquisition Corporation
Bowlero Corporation, the owner of the PBA Tour, is going public in a merger with Isos Acquisition Corporation, the companies announced in a news release Thursday morning. The deal values Bowlero, which has about 300 bowling centers in North America, at about $2.6 billion, the companies said. The deal points toward expansion for Bowlero. The transaction supports the continued expansion of Bowlero’s footprint in the $4.5 billion U.S. bowling Industry.
Monday, June 7, 2021
KELLY KULICK WINS 2021 PWBA ALBANY OPEN
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, was in complete control of her game this week at the 
Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Albany Open, and her masterful performance concluded with a return to the winner’s circle for the first time since 2017.
The United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer defeated two-time reigning PWBA Player of the Year Shannon O’Keefe of Shiloh, Illinois, in a thrilling title match at Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center, 228-217, to record her seventh PWBA Tour victory.
The championship round was broadcast live on BowlTV.com, with Kulick earning $10,000 for the win. O’Keefe collected $5,000 for the runner-up finish.
Kulick’s last win on tour came at the 2017 PWBA Fountain Valley Open, and her victory Saturday was her second since the relaunch of the PWBA Tour in 2015.
The 44-year-old right-hander entered Saturday’s competition as the tournament leader and retained that spot through 12 more games to earn the top seed for the stepladder finals, averaging more than 240 for her 24 qualifying games.
O’Keefe never let her out of her sights, however, averaging more than 238 to finish qualifying in second place.
The 14-time tour champion continued to pressure Kulick as the title match got underway, rolling three consecutive strikes after a spare in the first frame to take the early advantage.
Kulick maintained her hold on the pocket on this week’s 36-foot oil pattern, but she didn’t record a double through the first five frames.
A small adjustment in her physical game helped her create a better angle through the pins, resulting in four consecutive strikes, starting in the sixth frame.
“I talked with my tour reps and wondered if I needed to make a ball change,” said Kulick, a 17-time Team USA member. “After talking about it, I told them I knew what I needed to do. I got my hand underneath the bowling ball and started to go around it a bit more, to create more angularity off the spot. I know I have the tools and the knowledge, but you have to trust what you’re able to do. I trusted myself, like I had all week long.”
Kulick entered the final frame with the opportunity to roll two more strikes to shut out O’Keefe, but a light hit on her first delivery resulted in a 7 pin. She converted the spare and struck on her fill ball to force O’Keefe to double for her second win of the season.
O’Keefe, who won the season-opening PWBA Bowlers Journal Classic, left a 3-10 split on the first shot of her 10th frame, allowing Kulick to raise the trophy.
Kulick had finished as the runner-up five times since her win in 2017, including earlier this season at the PWBA Lincoln Open.
Saturday’s run to the stepladder finals was her third championship-round appearance in five events this season, and her confidence is growing as she looks ahead at the rest of the year.
“I came out here for two reasons – to have fun and enjoy bowling again and to know I could win again,” Kulick said. “Age is just a number, and I still feel energetic, youthful and like I’m in great shape. With the way I’m throwing it right now, I’m building confidence, and I know the sky is the limit for the rest of the season. I’ve been bowling smart and trusting myself, and the fact that I’m making shows on multiple patterns means my versatility is still there, too.”
O’Keefe advanced to the title match by defeating her former student-athlete at McKendree University, Breanna Clemmer of Clover, South Carolina, 247-193.
O’Keefe is the head coach for the women’s bowling program at McKendree, and Clemmer attended the university from 2016-2020. O’Keefe and Clemmer helped bring the Bearcats titles at the 2017 NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship and Intercollegiate Team Championships.
Clemmer, a rookie on tour this season, made her second consecutive championship-round appearance after recording a third-place finish at last week’s PWBA BVL Open in Farmingdale, New York.
The 23-year-old right-hander advanced to the semifinals by defeating three-time PWBA Tour champion Stefanie Johnson of McKinney, Texas, in the opening game of the stepladder, 213-192. Clemmer closed with four strikes to shut out Johnson, who made her first championship-round appearance of 2021.
The 66-player field in South Glens Falls bowled 12 games Friday, before the first cut to the top 32 athletes. Advancers bowled an additional six-game block Saturday morning, with the top 12 competing in a final six-game round to determine the four bowlers for the stepladder, based on 24-game pinfall totals.
The United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer defeated two-time reigning PWBA Player of the Year Shannon O’Keefe of Shiloh, Illinois, in a thrilling title match at Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center, 228-217, to record her seventh PWBA Tour victory.
The championship round was broadcast live on BowlTV.com, with Kulick earning $10,000 for the win. O’Keefe collected $5,000 for the runner-up finish.
Kulick’s last win on tour came at the 2017 PWBA Fountain Valley Open, and her victory Saturday was her second since the relaunch of the PWBA Tour in 2015.
The 44-year-old right-hander entered Saturday’s competition as the tournament leader and retained that spot through 12 more games to earn the top seed for the stepladder finals, averaging more than 240 for her 24 qualifying games.
O’Keefe never let her out of her sights, however, averaging more than 238 to finish qualifying in second place.
The 14-time tour champion continued to pressure Kulick as the title match got underway, rolling three consecutive strikes after a spare in the first frame to take the early advantage.
Kulick maintained her hold on the pocket on this week’s 36-foot oil pattern, but she didn’t record a double through the first five frames.
A small adjustment in her physical game helped her create a better angle through the pins, resulting in four consecutive strikes, starting in the sixth frame.
“I talked with my tour reps and wondered if I needed to make a ball change,” said Kulick, a 17-time Team USA member. “After talking about it, I told them I knew what I needed to do. I got my hand underneath the bowling ball and started to go around it a bit more, to create more angularity off the spot. I know I have the tools and the knowledge, but you have to trust what you’re able to do. I trusted myself, like I had all week long.”
Kulick entered the final frame with the opportunity to roll two more strikes to shut out O’Keefe, but a light hit on her first delivery resulted in a 7 pin. She converted the spare and struck on her fill ball to force O’Keefe to double for her second win of the season.
O’Keefe, who won the season-opening PWBA Bowlers Journal Classic, left a 3-10 split on the first shot of her 10th frame, allowing Kulick to raise the trophy.
Kulick had finished as the runner-up five times since her win in 2017, including earlier this season at the PWBA Lincoln Open.
Saturday’s run to the stepladder finals was her third championship-round appearance in five events this season, and her confidence is growing as she looks ahead at the rest of the year.
“I came out here for two reasons – to have fun and enjoy bowling again and to know I could win again,” Kulick said. “Age is just a number, and I still feel energetic, youthful and like I’m in great shape. With the way I’m throwing it right now, I’m building confidence, and I know the sky is the limit for the rest of the season. I’ve been bowling smart and trusting myself, and the fact that I’m making shows on multiple patterns means my versatility is still there, too.”
O’Keefe advanced to the title match by defeating her former student-athlete at McKendree University, Breanna Clemmer of Clover, South Carolina, 247-193.
O’Keefe is the head coach for the women’s bowling program at McKendree, and Clemmer attended the university from 2016-2020. O’Keefe and Clemmer helped bring the Bearcats titles at the 2017 NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship and Intercollegiate Team Championships.
Clemmer, a rookie on tour this season, made her second consecutive championship-round appearance after recording a third-place finish at last week’s PWBA BVL Open in Farmingdale, New York.
The 23-year-old right-hander advanced to the semifinals by defeating three-time PWBA Tour champion Stefanie Johnson of McKinney, Texas, in the opening game of the stepladder, 213-192. Clemmer closed with four strikes to shut out Johnson, who made her first championship-round appearance of 2021.
The 66-player field in South Glens Falls bowled 12 games Friday, before the first cut to the top 32 athletes. Advancers bowled an additional six-game block Saturday morning, with the top 12 competing in a final six-game round to determine the four bowlers for the stepladder, based on 24-game pinfall totals.
The PWBA Tour will head to Smyrna, Tennessee, next week for the PWBA Greater Nashville Open. The event will be held at the Smyrna Bowling Center and take place June 10-12.
Saturday, May 29, 2021
Bowlero To Acquire 17 Bowl America Centers
Upon completion of the transaction, Bowlero Corp, the owner and operator of over 300 bowling center locations in North America, will acquire Bowl America's 17 bowling centers in Florida, Virginia and Maryland.
"Bowlero Corp is committed to delivering a world class bowling experience to the 28 million-plus guests we serve each year and we're thrilled to welcome Bowl America's 17 centers to our portfolio," said Tom Shannon, Chairman and CEO of Bowlero Corp. "This acquisition supports our ongoing strategic efforts to grow and revitalize all aspects of the bowling industry."
The acquisition is subject to stockholder approval and other customary closing conditions.
Sunday, May 2, 2021
LIZ JOHNSON WINS 25TH PWBA TOUR TITLE, ROLLS 300 GAME AT 2021 PWBA LINCOLN OPEN
LINCOLN, Neb. – A day before her 47th birthday, Liz Johnson of Niagara Falls, New York, earned a long-awaited gift as she put together an unforgettable performance to win her 25th Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour title at the 2021 PWBA Lincoln Open.
Johnson collected three victories to run the ladder in Saturday’s championship round at Sun Valley Lanes, averaging 261 in her three wins, which included a 300 game in the semifinal and a 238-213 victory over Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, in the title match.The 10-time major champion earned $10,000 for the win, and a $10,000 bonus from Go Bowling for rolling a perfect game during the stepladder finals.
BowlTV.com provided wire-to-wire coverage of the 2021 PWBA Lincoln Open, including the stepladder finals.
“This is probably the best birthday present I’ve ever had,” said Johnson, a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer. “I couldn’t ask for a better present, and this is one I’ll never forget.”
The title tilt featured Johnson holding the slight edge through the first seven frames, with a 7-10 split from Kulick in the eighth frame giving Johnson a 25-pin lead as the game neared its conclusion.
Needing eight pins in two shots to secure the win in the final frame, Johnson rolled a strike to claim her first title since the 2018 Nationwide PWBA Columbus Open.
The win moves Johnson into a tie for fourth place on the PWBA’s all-time titles list, joining Patty Costello and Tish Johnson. Lisa Wagner tops the list with 32 wins, with Aleta Sill and Leanne Hulsenberg following with 31 and 27 victories, respectively.
Johnson’s historic run Saturday, which also included the right-hander becoming the first bowler in PWBA history to roll multiple 300 games in championship-round appearances, was the result of trying to do something different in attacking the event’s 46-foot oil pattern after the scoring pace slowed down toward the end of qualifying.
There have been five perfect games rolled in championship rounds on the PWBA Tour, with the last being achieved at the 2019 Pepsi PWBA Louisville Open by Ukraine’s Dasha Kovalova. Kovalova’s 300 game was against Johnson in the title match.
“They were brutal earlier today, and after talking to my ball reps, we tried something out,” said Johnson, who rolled her first 300 in a championship-round appearance during the title match of the 2001 Paula Carter Classic. “I wanted to take a ball and put some surface on it to see how it looked from the outside part of the lane. It was the same ball I had used most of the week, but from different angles. I was fortunate to find the right combination.
“I felt really focused tonight. It was probably the most I’ve been in a long time, and everything kind of fell into place. My mindset was good, I felt great physically and was making the shots I needed. I was very excited to have another chance to shoot 300, and being able to do that and win tonight was absolutely amazing.”
Johnson’s 300 game in the semifinal was against Gazmine Mason of Cranston, Rhode Island, who was making her first championship-round appearance on the national tour after winning a pair of regional titles in 2019 and 2020. Mason rolled 232 in the match.
Saturday’s opening game featured Johnson besting Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, 245-223.
Mason and Pluhowsky were part of a large contingent of former University of Nebraska standouts competing at the PWBA Lincoln Open this week.
Mason helped the Cornhuskers win the 2015 NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship, while Pluhowsky was part of three national-title-winning teams (2001 Intercollegiate Team Championships and 2004 and 2005 NCAA) and recently helped Nebraska claim the 2021 NCAA title as an assistant coach.
Johnson qualified as the No. 4 seed for the stepladder after rolling 216 in her final qualifying game to jump into the top four. Kulick, who finished third at last week’s PWBA Twin Cities Open and was looking for her seventh PWBA Tour title, earned the top seed by averaging more than 224 for 24 games, finishing with a 5,381 total.
The 65-player field bowled 12 games Friday, before the first cut to the top 32 athletes. Advancers bowled an additional six-game block Saturday morning, with the top 12 competing in a final six-game round to determine the four bowlers for the stepladder finals, based on 24-game pinfall totals.
The 2021 PWBA Tour season, which features 20 events, will head next to Yorktown Lanes in Parma Heights, Ohio, for the PWBA Greater Cleveland Open. The event will take place May 6-8.
For more information on the PWBA, visit PWBA.com.
2021 PWBA Lincoln Open
At Sun Valley Lanes
Lincoln, Neb.
Saturday’s results
FINAL STANDINGS
1, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 783 (three games), $10,000
2, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 213 (one game), $5,000
3, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 232 (one game), $3,500
4, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 223 (one game), $2,500
STEPLADDER RESULTS
Match No. 1 – Johnson def. Pluhowsky, 245-223
Semifinal – Johnson def. Mason, 300-232
Championship – Johnson def. Kulick, 238-213
QUALIFYING - ROUND 4
1, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 5,381. 2, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 5,251. 3, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 5,236. 4, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 5,203.
DID NOT ADVANCE
5, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 5,183, $1,900. 6, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 5,158, $1,700.
7, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 5,149, $1,625. 8, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 5,131, $1,550. 9, Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 5,128, $1,500. 10, Shannon O'Keefe, Shiloh, Ill., 5,080, $1,450. 11, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 5,077, $1,425. 12, Verity Crawley, England, 4,994, $1,400.
QUALIFYING - ROUND 3
1, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 4,089. 2, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 4,042. 3, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 4,040. 4, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 3,976. 5(tie), Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, and Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 3,938.
7, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 3,909. 8, Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 3,898. 9, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 3,881. 10, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 3,862. 11, Shannon O'Keefe, Shiloh, Ill., 3,844. 12, Verity Crawley, England, 3,835.
DID NOT ADVANCE
13, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 3,802, $1,100. 14, Taylor Bailey, Joliet, Ill., 3,795, $1,100. 15, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 3,778, $1,100. 16, Abby Ragsdale, Aurora, Ill., 3,772, $1,100. 17, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 3,754, $1,100. 18, Maria Bulanova, Russia, 3,745, $1,100.
19, Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 3,688, $1,100. 20, Kayla Bandy, Wichita, Kan., 3,676, $1,100. 21, Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, 3,674, $1,100. 22(tie), Valerie Bercier, Muskegon, Mich., and Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 3,670, $1,100. 24, Taylor Bulthuis, Coral Springs, Fla., 3,651, $1,100.
25, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 3,645, $1,100. 26, Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, 3,643, $1,100. 27, Jasmine Snell (n), Papillion, Neb., 3,634, $1,100. 28, Tannya Roumimper, Indonesia, 3,630, $1,100. 29, Caitlyn Johnson, Beaumont, Texas, 3,615, $1,100. 30, Cassandra Leuthold, Lincoln, Neb., 3,609, $1,100.
31, Kayla Pashina, Minnetonka, Minn., 3,596, $1,100. 32, Kara Mangiola, Spencerport, N.Y., 3,543, $1,100.
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).
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).
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