Thursday, November 8, 2001
LAS VEGAS, N.V. - To steal a phrase from ESPN's Dick Vitale, Lisa Bishop was a 3-S woman Thursday night, super, scintillating and sensational. The Bellville, Michigan native claimed the top spot at the $100,000 Brunswick Women's World Open after going 8-0 in match play (Editor's note - players earn 30 bonus pins for each match won during match play rounds) and chalking up a perfect game. Bishop's 300 helped add to her 9,299 tournament total and 226.47 average. The five-year pro leads Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, N. Richland Hills, Texas by 230-pins, who closed out the evening with 9,069 and 225.22.
"I've never shot a 300 in a tournament and I've never done very well in match play," said Bishop. "It's such a relief to play well in the first part of match play. I always want to perform at a high level at major tournaments because they are our biggest events of the year."
In search of her first title in 2001, Bishop followed her opening 740 series with a 721 tally. The 1997 PWBA Rookie of the Year recorded match play wins over three of the tournament's top five including Dorin-Ballard (300-208), Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y. (196-185) and Michelle Feldman, Skaneateles, N.Y. (244-237).
After the leading the Open for three straight rounds, Dorin-Ballard fell back one spot after going 2-6 in the evening's matches. Dorin-Ballard is attempting to qualify for her 18th televised championship round in 22 events. A victory this week would tie her with Patty Costello's all-time professional women's bowling record of seven titles in one season.
In third place is three-time Team USA member Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J. Kulick posted the second best match play record of the night going 7-1 and has racked up 9,013 and 220.17. Kulick is 61-pins ahead Johnson and Feldman, who are tied for fourth place with 8,952 and 220 respectively.
Just off the pace and in sixth, seventh and eighth are Marianne DiRupo, Succasunna, N.J. (8,859, 219.22), Cara Honeychurch, Australia (8,857, 217.67) and Tiffany Stanbrough, Oklahoma City, OK (8,787, 215.17). Sin City favorites Dede Davidson (Las Vegas) and Wendy Macpherson (Henderson) also closed in on the top five. Davidson moved up to ninth with 8,743 and 214.82 while Macpherson is in 11th with 8,710 and 215.50.
Two more eight-game match play blocks will take place on Friday (Nov. 8 -- 10 a.m., 4:30 p.m.). After the conclusion of the match play rounds, the field will be cut to the top five bowlers, who will compete on Saturday (Nov. 10) at 12 p.m. in the championship rounds. ESPN2 will tape the championships and later broadcast them on Monday, November 12 at 9 p.m. and the 13th at 3:00 a.m. (all times are Eastern).
Brunswick shootout update
Following Saturday's Brunswick Women's World Open finals, the top eight PWBA competition point finishers will compete in the $25,000 Brunswick Shootout.
The Shootout will also be taped by ESPN2 and broadcast on Monday, November 26 and 29th at 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition the event will air on ESPN on November 29 at 2 p.m. (all times are Eastern). Prior to the Open the top eight competition point standings included Dorin-Ballard, Cara Honeychurch (14,185), Leanne Barrette (12,787), Macpherson (12,654) Johnson (11,017), Michelle Feldman (10,982), Duggan (10,827), Kim Terrell (10,435).
