The Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour will re-launch in May 2015 following a 12-year hiatus, thanks to a three-year funding commitment from the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA). Kicking off with the USBC Queens tournament on May 13-19, which will be televised live from Green Bay, Wisconsin on ESPN2, the national PWBA Tour schedule will feature seven regular-season events and three nationally televised majors from coast to coast, concluding with the PWBA Tour Championship tournament on Sept. 10-13.
"Professional women's bowling is back!" said Kelly Kulick, a six-time PWBA champion and official spokesperson for the PWBA Tour. Kulick, who famously became the first woman to ever win a national title on the male-dominated PBA Tour continued, "we couldn't be more thrilled to re-launch our national women's tour with a new generation of female bowlers who finally have the opportunity to experience everything this great sport has to offer. The dream is now a reality."
The PWBA Tour's regular-season events, which will now follow a Friday-to-Sunday format departure from past tour schedules that have historically required participants' full-time commitment ill each offer $60,000 in guaranteed prize money, including a $10,000 prize for each first-place winner.
"USBC and BPAA have worked tirelessly over the past several years to bring back the women's tour, rallying support from all facets of the industry to reintroduce a robust professional program for our top female athletes," said USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy.
"The PWBA Tour re-launch project is a testament the industry's ability to unite in order to do what is best for bowling," added BPAA Executive Director Frank DeSocio.
2015 PWBA Tour Schedule:
*major PWBA Tour event
- Wednesday, May 13 Tuesday, May 19: USBC Queens
- Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Friday, July 10 - Sunday, July 12: PWBA Storm Sacramento Ope
- Steve Cook's Fireside Lanes, Sacramento, California
- Friday, July 17 Sunday, July 19: PWBA Lubbock Sports Open
- South Plains Lanes, Lubbock, Texas
- Friday, July 24 Sunday, July 26: PWBA Wichita Open
- Northrock Lanes, Wichita, Kansas
- Friday, August 7 Sunday, August 9: PWBA Topeka Open
- West Ridge Lanes, Topeka, Kansas
- Friday, August 14 Sunday, August 16: PWBA Lincoln Open
- Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Friday, August 21 Sunday, August 23: PWBA Minnesota Open
- Island Xtreme Bowl, Welch, Minnesota
- Friday, August 28 Sunday, August 30: PWBA Detroit Open
- Super Bowl, Canton, Michigan
- Monday, August 31 Sunday, Sept. 6: Bowlmor AMF U.S. Women's Open*
- Brunswick Zone Carolier, North Brunswick, New Jersey
- Friday, Sept. 11 Sunday, Sept. 13: PWBA Tour Championship*
For more information about the PWBA Tour, including scheduled tournaments, players, history, and qualification, or to purchase membership or register for events, please visit the PWBA Tour's new website, PWBA.com.
