Simply The Best

Monday, 12 November 2007

Just weeks after being signed to Turbo 2-N-1 Grips Pro Staff, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard wins her first title of the PBA Women's Series, sponsored by the USBC, defeating top-seed Missy Bellinder (also a member of Turbo's Regional Staff), 233-192. The four-event series featuring 16 women is running in conjunction with Denny's PBA Tour events.

Dorin-Ballard, 43, won 20 titles on the now-defunct Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour. She joined the PBA in 2004 and was the first woman to bowl a 300 game in a PBA event.

Dorin-Ballard had a smooth route to the title, striking in four of the first five frames and never looking back. She had help from Bellinder, who was never able to string two strikes together until the match was decided. "It's overwhelming," Dorin-Ballard (N. Richland Hills, Texas) said. "We've been off now for four years and I didn't think we'd see the day where there would be any type of tour for us again. I consider myself very lucky to be the first Women's Series champion." Dorin-Ballard pocketed $10,000 for the win.

PBA Exempt Tour Staff members, Mika Koivuniemi and Jeff Lizzi also made the finals. Koivuniemi and Lizzi took home $6,000 each for third and fourth, respectively, and Bellinder earned $6,000 for her runner-up finish.

The Denny's PBA Tour and PBA Women's Series move to Cheektowaga, N.Y., for the 2007 Etonic Championship, Nov. 7-11, at AMF Thruway Lanes. The nationally televised ESPN finals take place Sunday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. EST.

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