They're Back...

For years, the world's top women bowlers have craved for more opportunities to compete at the sport's highest level. With the revival of the U.S. Women's Open, those bowlers are embracing the upcoming chance to compete against the best. The U.S. Women's Open presented by the United States Bowling Congress will be conducted for the first time since 2003, the same year the Professional Women's Bowling Association ceased operations. The event will be held Aug. 13-18 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., with the elimination and championship rounds telecast by ESPN beginning in September. The return of one of bowling's major events has Team USA standouts Diandra Asbaty of Chicago, Shannon Pluhowsky of Phoenix and Shannon O'Keefe of Rochester, N.Y., excited for the future. "I'm very hopeful this is the start of something big," said Asbaty, a nine-time Team USA member and 2003 graduate of the University of Nebraska who never got the chance to compete on the PWBA Tour. "I really think people are going to respond to this event in a very positive and major way." Pluhowsky, a three-time U.S. Amateur champion and the 2006 USBC Queens champion, has traveled the world competing at the highest level. She grew up with ambitions of making a living as a professional bowler. "We all grow up hoping to be able to bowl professionally," said Pluhowsky, who also owled at Nebraska. "I think this is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, these events will lead to the creation of another women's pro tour." While there is no full-time women's professional tour, the Professional Bowlers Association will conduct four special women's events, called the PBA Women's Series, alongside selected regular Denny's PBA Tour events this fall. Qualifying for these events will take place during the U.S. Women's Open. "In order for this sport to survive, we have to give the young women something to look forward to," said O'Keefe, who finished fifth at this year's USBC Queens. "The PBA Women's Series and the U.S. Women's Open do just that. I think it's awesome." The U.S. Women's Open final rounds will feature a bracket elimination format in which the top 16 players will compete on television. In a deal with ESPN, the first four rounds of the finals will be taped Aug. 17-18 and shown on Sept. 16, 23, 30 and Oct. 7. The final four competitors will return to Reno for a live televised championship round on Oct. 14. The U.S. Women's Open has an entry fee of $250 and is open to any female USBC member. The event will feature a guaranteed prize fund of $150,000, including $25,000 to the winner. The players who advance to the top 16 are guaranteed at least $3,000. Competitors in the U.S. Women's Open will also have the option of paying an additional $750 entry fee to have a shot at 16 spots available in the PBA Women's Series, which will feature four events with a total prize fund of $50,000 for each event, including a top prize of $10,000 and last cash of $1,800. The championship match of all four PBA Women's Series events will be televised as part of the ESPN telecasts for the four Denny's PBA Tour events in which women's events will run concurrently. Earlier this week, the PBA announced that it would no longer require PBA membership for the 16 players who qualify for the Women's Series. The move allows amateur players, such as those on Team USA, to maintain their amateur status.