LANCASTER, OH - For the first time in eight tries this season Wendy Macpherson was victorious in a championship match as the four-time PWBA Player of the Year defeated Leanne Barrette, Pleasanton, Calif. 257-169 enroute to the $75,000 Columbia 300 Open Championship. In spite being her first title of 2001, the victory marks Macpherson's 19th of her illustrious career.

For her victory, the 1990s Player of the Decade earned a check for $11,000 to increase her 2001 earnings, plus TV incentives to $69,590. Last season Macpherson became just the second player in PWBA history to earn over a million dollars after she earned a second place purse at the 2000 Columbia Open.

"I wanted to put forth a clean game tonight," said Macpherson. "I've struggled a little bit in my TV matches this year and I wanted to make sure if I lost, it wasn't because of a bad game."

Entering the title match as the tournament's No. 1 seed, Macpherson held a 5-6 record this season against Barrette in televised matches. Prior to this evening, Macpherson was averaging 188.31 in TV performances, however tonight she dominated play chalking up an eight-bagger from the second frame through the ninth while Barrette left three open frames in the third, sixth and tenth.

"Leanne is a great champion and when she's hot, she's tough to beat. I just wanted to keep the momentum going once I started rolling strikes because you never know when your hot streak is going to stop and when your opponent is going to get hot."

Tonight's television appearance was Macpherson's fourth in the last six tournaments. In her last seven efforts she has finished second - three times, third - once, fourth - two times and fifth - once.

Placing second, Barrette took home a check for $6,000. Tonight was her fifth consecutive showing in a championship round. Barrette closed out the sixth round of the tournament as perhaps the week's hottest bowler as she averaged 251 in her final five games including bowling 300.

Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, Oklahoma, completed the Open in third place. Duggan started the night defeating Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J. and Cheryl Daniels, West Bloomfield, Michigan, 222-192-181 in the opening shootout. She was defeated in the semi-finals 145-141 by Barrette. Duggan earned $4,700 while Kulick and Daniels banked $3,700 and $3,000 respectively.

The championship round of the Columbia 300 Open will be televised on ESPN2 Monday, October 15 at 8:00 p.m. (EST). The PWBA Tour moves to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania next week for the $50,000 Three Rivers Open, October 14-18.

Final Results:

1. Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, Nev., 257 -1 game- $11,000

2. Leanne Barrette, Pleasanton, Calif., 314 -2 games- $6,000

3. Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, Okla., 363 -2 games- $4,700

4. Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 192 -1 game- $3,700

5. Cheryl Daniels, West Bloomfield, Mich., 181 -1 game- $3,000

Playoff Results:

Duggan def. Kulick and Daniels 222-192-181;

Semi-Final Match: Barrette def. Duggan 145-141;

Championship Match: Macpherson def. Barrette 257-169.