July 13, 2007

By: Mark Martin

PBA TOUR SCHEDULE RELEASED

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) has announced the 2007-08 Denny’s PBA Tour schedule which includes two stops in Michigan and a special 2007-08 PBA Women’s Series.

The PBA opens the season with the Dydo Japan Cup from Toyko, Sept. 18-23.

Next up is the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Masters on Oct. 21-28. Qualifying and match play will take place at AMF Bowlero Lanes in Wauwatosa , Wisc. however the televised finals will take place at Miller Park in Milwaukee . While the Milwaukee area has hosted the USBC Masters in recent years, this event will return the finals to Miller Park where Danny Wiseman of Baltimore won the event in 2004.

The top professionals, both men and women, will come to the Detroit area with the Motor City Classic to be held at Taylor Lanes in Taylor on Oct. 31 – Nov. 4. This will mark the first of four PBA Women’s Series events where the final match will begin the telecast each Sunday on ESPN followed by the PBA matches.

Cheektowaga , N.Y. , a suburb of Buffalo , will host both on Nov. 7-11, followed by Merrillville , Ind. on Nov. 14-18.

The tour will travel to suburban Chicago in Vernon Hills , Ill. on Nov. 21-25 with only the PBA professionals competing.

The women will finish the PBA Women’s Series at Spectrum Lanes in Wyoming , Mich. from Nov. 28 – Dec. 2.

The PBA Women’s Series will be featured for four tournaments, sponsored by USBC. An exempt field of 16 women will be determined from the Women’s Tour Trials as part of the U.S. Women’s Open, Aug. 13-18 at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno , Nev.

The 16-woman field will compete during the week in conjunction with the four regular PBA events for a weekly purse of $50,000. First place each week will be $10,000 and a last cash prize of $1,800.

Further the U.S. Women’s Open will be televised as part of a four week ESPN-televised series.

“USBC’s vision is to grow the sport of bowling through greater visibility, and we feel sponsoring both of these events works toward that goal,” USBC CEO Roger Dalkin said. “These events, in addition to the U.S. Women’s Open, will bring more bowling to national television and give the sport even greater exposure to millions of people.”

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HONOR SCORES

300 Games

Date, Name, Hometown, Center, League

July 1, David Ewald, Macomb , Hazel Park Bowl, Sunday Scratch Sweeper

July 1, Toyree Hawthorne, Detroit , Hazel Park Bowl, Hamtramck Singles Classic

July 9, Stephen Wieczerza, White Lake , Century Bowl, Duos & Duets

July 9, Edward DeGraaf, Madison Hts., Sunnybrook Lanes, Monday Adult/Youth

800 Series

Date, Name (Score), Hometown, Center, League

Mark Martin writes a weekly bowling column on Fridays for The Daily Oakland Press and is the association manager of the Metro Detroit USBC Association. He can be reached at (248) 443-2695, faxed at (248) 443-2690 or e-mailed at mark.martin@mdusbc.com.