The Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour added additional events for the 2016 season, including the return of a major championship – the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship.
The Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship, the second major on the 2016 PWBA Tour, will take place at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin, starting with Thursday’s practice session. Competitors will bowl two six-game blocks of qualifying Friday before the field is cut to the top 16 for match play.
Sixteen games of match play will take place Saturday to determine the four finalists for Sunday’s TV show.
CBS Sports Network will have live coverage of the stepladder finals of the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship on Sunday at noon Eastern.
In addition to the live show, the stepladder finals of the PWBA Wichita Open, PWBA Pepsi Lincoln Open and PWBA Greater Detroit Open will be contested and taped for later broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
The Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship only is open to PWBA members. Anne Marie Duggan, Kim Adler and Liz Johnson - all USBC Hall of Fame members - each won the event before the PWBA went on hiatus in 2003, and all three will compete in this year’s event.
For Shannon Pluhowsky, who missed the opportunity to compete on the previous incarnation of the PWBA Tour, this week could be the opportunity to nail down the one title missing from her extensive resume – a PWBA title.
“It’s always exciting to win, and to get the first one would be really exciting, since the tour folded before I had a chance to bowl,” Pluhowsky said. “This is our second full season of a tour, so to just get the first one, would be special. Hopefully, more will keep coming after that.”
The fact that Pluhowsky, a 16-time Team USA member, has not won a title since the PWBA Tour resumed last season seems like an aberration for a competitor who owns two major titles, three PBA Women’s Series titles and dozens of medals in international competition.
“That’s surprising to me,” said Johnson, a longtime teammate of Pluhowsky on Team USA. “Maybe she needs to let it go and just let it come to her. She’s going to get one, then she’s going to get 20. I have no doubt in my mind. She has a Queens title, she’s made so many shows, she’s going to get there. It’s just a matter of time.”
Pluhowsky continues to put herself in position to win that elusive first title. She already has been on two TV shows this year and will be on at least one TV show in Green Bay this week, as she’s a finalist in the PWBA Wichita Open.
“On the TV shows, it was just a couple of bad games,” Pluhowsky said of her first two TV appearances this season. “I had a bad game against Liz (Johnson) and then a bad spare shot (missed 7 pin), or otherwise I would have won my first title. But, I have another chance.”
The first priority for Pluhowsky this week will be the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship. Players always look forward to the majors, mainly because of the format.
“The Players is a little different format, more games, so that will help,” Pluhowsky said. “In a short format, anything can happen, but the majors are longer and are usually better for us. You can have a couple of bad games, like I did at Queens, and still not be in bad shape. We look forward to majors.”
Go to PWBA.com for more information on the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship and the complete PWBA Tour schedule, plus news, player biographies and more.
2016 GO BOWLING PWBA PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
(All times local)
Thursday, June 23
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Media event
5 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Practice
7 p.m.: VIP event
Friday, June 24
8 a.m. – 9 a.m.: Practice
11 a.m.: Six games of qualifying
5 p.m.: Six games of qualifying
– After 12 qualifying games, cut to top 16 for match play
Saturday, June 25
8:30 a.m.: Round-robin match play – eight games
2 p.m.: Round-robin match play – eight games
– After 16 round-robin match-play games, cut to top four for TV show
7 p.m.: Pro-Am
Sunday, June 26
11 a.m.: Live TV stepladder finals on CBS Sports Network
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