By DONOVAN GRUBAUGH
PWBA Communications
LINCOLN, Neb. — The second major event of the 2025 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour, the U.S. Women’s Open, is set to start Tuesday at Sun Valley Lanes.
This is Sun Valley Lanes’ sixth time hosting a PWBA Tour event since 2015, but first since 2021, and first time hosting a major on the PWBA Tour. Sun Valley Lanes previously hosted the male counterpart, the U.S. Open, back in 2020.
A field of 108 of the world’s best female bowlers will look to win the coveted green jacket and eagle trophy, along with the $60,000 top prize. Malaysia’s Sin Li Jane defeated Latvia’s Diana Zavjalova, 226-214, for her first career major title last year in Indianapolis.
Riding the momentum off her sixth career PWBA title is Jordan Snodgrass of Adrian, Mich., after her win at the PWBA Bowlers Journal Waterloo Open in Waterloo, Iowa. Snodgrass, who is coming off three consecutive championship-round appearances, is looking to win her first career major and become eligible for the PWBA Hall of Fame in the process with her seventh title.
The journey to the title begins with an eight-game pre-tournament qualifier that kicks off at noon to fill the remaining spots in the tournament. Among those bowling in that field is Tallmadge right-hander Kirsten Moore.
Later that evening, at 8 p.m., Bowl with the Pros will give members of the local community a chance to bowl alongside their favorite PWBA Tour athletes in a fun and engaging environment.
Wednesday is dedicated entirely to practice. All four oil patterns that will be used throughout the week will be laid out at various times beginning at 10 a.m. Patterns 1 through 3 are designated for the first three qualifying rounds, while Pattern 4 will be used for the fourth qualifying round, match play and the televised stepladder finals.
Qualifying rounds will take place from Thursday through Saturday. Each day will feature three squads, with the first starting at 9 a.m., followed by additional squads at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. All bowlers will complete eight games per round.
Ohioans in the field include Megan Duff, Stow’s Jillian Martin, Shannon Pluhowsky, Brianna Rogers and Rocio Restrepo.
Following the third qualifying round, the field will be cut to the top third, who will return on Sunday, for the final eight-game qualifying round at 11 a.m.
The top 24 bowlers after qualifying will advance to round-robin match play, starting with the first round Sunday at 6 p.m. The remaining two rounds of match play will take place June 16 at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., with the top five players moving on to the live TV stepladder finals at 7 p.m. June 17, on CBS Sports Network.
In the stepladder finals, the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds will face off in a one-game match, with the winner advancing to face the No. 3 seed, and so on, until the title match against the No. 1 seed.
All qualifying and match play rounds leading up to the televised finals will be streamed live on BowlTV.