The Professional Women's Bowling Association "Go Bowling" Players Championships Kicks Off Today

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

USBC Women's and Open Championships in Las Vegas, Baby

United States Bowling Congress News: South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa, the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), Las Vegas Events (LVE) and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) have announced a 12-year deal to host several annual USBC events, including the USBC Open Championships and USBC Women's Championships, both citywide, and inside a new, $30 million bowling tournament facility at South Point starting in 2013.

Over the course of the agreement, USBC will host seven Championship events inside South Point's new bowling tournament facility, including the USBC Women's Championships in 2016, 2020 and 2022 and the USBC Open Championships in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023.

There also will be more than 40 additional tournaments, conventions and short-duration events held throughout Las Vegas during the agreement, including events such as the USBC Masters, USBC Queens, USBC Senior Masters and USBC Team USA Trials. "Las Vegas is excited to continue a partnership with the United States Bowling Congress that began four decades ago when we hosted the USBC Women's Championships," said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

"We look forward to strengthening the partnership over the next decade and becoming the premier destination for USBC events."

The USBC, LVE and LVCVA are partnering with South Point to enhance this new agreement by building a permanent, world-class bowling tournament facility at one of Las Vegas' premier bowling destinations.

Construction of the new arena at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa will commence in May 2013. South Point's current bowling center, which will still continue operations, is already a world-renowned facility that annually hosts top professional and amateur events, including the Professional Bowlers Association's World Series of Bowling.
The new tournament facility will include more than 60 lanes featuring the latest bowling technology, tournament registration area, squad room, locker area and more.

With participation estimates for the seven Championship events taken into account, event organizers estimate that 27 percent of attendees will have the ability to stay at the South Point, while the remaining 73 percent will occupy rooms throughout the city during events held for the duration of this agreement.

"We are extremely excited about our partnership with the USBC and South Point Hotel and Casino," said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events.

"This would not have been possible without the commitment from Michael Gaughan to build a state-of-the-art bowling venue and the USBC's commitment to host an unprecedented number of its events in Las Vegas."

In 2009, the 106th USBC Open Championships, held at Cashman Center in Las Vegas, ran for a record 154 consecutive days with a capacity total of 17,200 teams competing from Feb. 21 to July 24, 2009.

The total estimated attendance for bowling participants and their travel parties was 292,750 with an average room stay of 4.3 nights and a non-gaming economic impact of more than $120 million.

Las Vegas also hosted the USBC Open Championships in 1986. The USBC Women's Championships previously was held in Las Vegas in 1973 and 1983, attracting 9,644 and 14,430 teams, respectively.

"The creation of a new bowling arena as part of a Las Vegas casino will be an amazing experience for our bowlers to enjoy," USBC Executive Director Stu Upson said.

"This agreement required tremendous public and private support in order to come together. We look forward to seeing the construction of a great venue that will be a source of pride for the entire bowling industry."