Newz Forum: OTHER: BOWLING: Lady first: Johnson 1st female to qualify for PBA

Liz Johnson became the first woman to qualify for a PBA Tour event Wednesday when she finished fourth in the PBA Tour Qualifying Round of the PBA Uniroyal Tire Classic at Freeway Lanes in Wickliffe, Ohio, the PBA announced.

Johnson, of Cheektowaga, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo, finished with a nine-game total of 2,074 and finished as the top amateur of the day with a 230.44 average. The top five non-exempt PBA members and the top amateur move on to the 64-person, single-elimination match play event starting Thursday.

"This is pretty exciting," Johnson said. "I came in here with no expectations. It was actually a last-minute decision to enter. I started off bad out of the gates, but I focused and got better game by game. I'm pretty happy with the results."

Johnson started the day with a 153, but came back to average 255 over the next six games, including a high of 278 in game four. After a 177 in Game 8, she sealed the deal with a 214 in the final game of the night.

Johnson was an 11-time winner in the Professional Women's Bowling Association. She won the 1996 U.S. Open on the way to winning the 1996 Rookie of the Year.

Johnson will face No. 1 seed Brad Angelo of Lockport, N.Y., in the round of 64, which is best-of-seven match play.

Also qualifying for the round of 64 was Dale Traber of Cedarburg, Wis., who finished first with a 2,148 nine-game pinfall. Mike Mineman of Belleville Ill.; Jimmy Johnson of Columbus, Ohio; Brandon Hilgendorf of Clinton Township, Mich.; and Jeff Zaffino of Warren Pa., also advanced to Thursday's match play.

Five members advanced to the round of 64 this week because Pete Weber has taken the week off.

source
ESPN