Professional Bowlers Association

The last thing Kelly Kulick could have imagined as she rolled her way to victory in the Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions in January was that her historic victory would lead to a visit to the White House.

And beyond simply acknowledging her as the first woman to win a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title, Kulick found herself being honored as an American pioneer who had carved out a unique place in the nation’s history as the first woman to win a major championship in a male-dominated professional sport.

Kulick was invited to attend the International Women’s Day reception held in the East Room of the White House on Monday in celebration of Women’s History Month. Hosted by President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, approximately 250 women attended the event which honored contributions of women in history and contemporary society.

The event began at 5 p.m. Eastern with a speech by Mrs. Obama who recognized all those in attendance.

“Today all of you are joining the long list of incredible women who have graced these halls both as visitors and as residents, from admirals and actresses to civil rights pioneers,” Mrs. Obama told the group. “We’re here today not just to pay tribute to leaders and icons and household names. During Women’s History Month, we’re also here to honor the quiet heroes who’ve shaped this country… We honor the women who traveled those lonely roads to be the first in those courtrooms, to be the first ones in those boardrooms, to be the first ones on those playing fields… We honor women who refused to listen to those who would say that you couldn’t or shouldn’t pursue your dreams.”

President Obama then spoke of the roles of women in building America, the women he has appointed to positions of influence within his administration, and his hopes for gender equality in the future.

Kulick said there was no formal receiving line or photo opportunities, but after the speeches by President and Mrs. Obama, there was a short reception where she did get to briefly meet the president.

“I was really just taking it all in and I was looking to see who I might recognize,” Kulick said. “They might have been there, but I didn’t notice any other sports figures.

“I didn’t have a chance to speak at length with the president or first lady, but I did get to meet the president and shake his hand, which was certainly a great honor,” Kulick said.

Kulick said it was a simple and moving ceremony. More...

Jason Belmonte of Australia and Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y., picked up where they left off in qualifying and combined forces to take a commanding lead after the first round of match play in the PBA Bayer Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Friday at Brunswick Zone Wheat Ridge.

Qualifying leaders Belmonte and Feldman combined for a 6-2 Baker format match play record with a 5,355 22-game overall pinfall putting them 279 pins ahead of Eugene McCune and Kelly Kulick in second.

The Baker format requires each player to alternate frames in a game to combine for one score.

“The only strategy we had was determining which lane we felt best bowling on,” said Belmonte, the 2008-09 PBA Rookie of the Year. “We’ll do the same thing for tonight’s round. I believe in having a good rhythm and we both have that right now.”

Belmonte is trying for his second career Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title and Feldman her third PBA Women’s Series presented by BOWL.COM title.

“It’s easy to help each other because we both have a lot of hook,” Feldman said. “We both play the same part of the lane so it’s just a matter of making little adjustments here and there.”

Kulick is also trying for her third Women’s Series title. This is her first PBA event since winning the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions on Jan. 24 becoming the first woman to win a PBA Tour title. McCune is trying for his second career Tour title.

The 16 doubles pairs will compete in one more eight-game match play round beginning at 6 p.m. After 16 total head-to-head Baker format doubles matches, the top five teams will advance to the stepladder finals.

The Mixed Doubles finals will be televised live by ESPN at 1 p.m. Eastern (11 a.m. Mountain) on Sunday, Feb. 21.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR

BAYER DON AND PAULA CARTER MIXED DOUBLES

Brunswick Zone Wheat Ridge, Wheat Ridge, Colo.

Third Round (after 22 games, including match play records and pinfall including bonus pins)

1, Jason Belmonte, Australia/Michelle Feldman, Auburn, N.Y., 6-2, 5,355.

2, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind./Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 4-4, 5,076

3, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga./Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 6-2, 5,046

4, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla./Shannon Pluhowsky, Kettering, Ohio, 5-3, 5,045

5, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas/Shannon O’Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 6-2, 5,017

6, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich./Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, Nev., 6-2, 4,953

7, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas/Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 4-4, 4,920

8, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich./Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 3-5, 4,910

9, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla./Lindsay Baker, Amherst, N.Y., 2-6, 4,886

10, Steve Harman, Indianapolis/Missy Bellinder, Lake Forest, Calif., 3-5, 4,818

11, Stuart Williams, England/Tammy Boomershine, North Ogden, Utah, 4-4, 4,814

12, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C./Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 4-4, 4,812

13, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan./Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 2-6, 4,796

14, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash./Laura Hardeman, Chula Vista, Calif., 4-4, 4,762

15, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y./Brenda Edwards, Mansfield, Texas, 3-5, 4,757

16, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla./Stefanie Nation, Grand Prairie, Texas, 2-6, 4,697

Two-handed specialist Jason Belmonte of Australia and Jodi Woessner of Oregon, Ohio, were the first round qualifying leaders Wednesday in the Professional Bowlers Association Bayer Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles at Brunswick Zone Wheat Ridge.

Belmonte, last season’s PBA Rookie of the Year and the first two-hander to win a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title, had a 1,697 seven-game pinfall (242 average) to lead the 64-player men’s field. He had games of 222, 256, 238, 237, 289, 220 and 235.

Having to negotiate an extreme inside shot in today’s first round matched up well with Belmonte’s technique as a two-handed player.

“You’ll find that most two-handers hook the ball a lot,” said the 26-year-old Belmonte. “So any time we can use a lot of the lane it’s to our advantage.

“Obviously having a big hook is not conducive to all conditions on tour but it’s nice to be able to take advantage of a condition where you can throw the big hook.”

Woessner, who owns one PBA Women’s Series title, led the 32-player women’s field with a 1,640 seven- game pinfall (234 average) which included a 300 game. She had games of 221, 202, 226, 214, 243, 300 and 234. More...

Two-handed specialist Jason Belmonte of Australia finds himself at the top of the leader board after Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour first round qualifying Wednesday in the Bayer Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles at Brunswick Zone Wheat Ridge.

Belmonte, last season’s Rookie of the Year who became the first two-hander to win a PBA Tour event had a 1,697 pinfall for seven games (242 average). He had games of 222, 256, 238, 237, 289, 220 and 235.

Having to negotiate an extreme inside shot in today’s first round matched up well with Belmonte’s technique as a two-handed player.

“You’ll find that most two-handers hook the ball a lot,” said the 26-year-old Belmonte. “So anytime we can use a lot of the lane it’s to our advantage.

“Obviously having a big hook is not conducive to all conditions on Tour but it’s nice to be able to take advantage of a condition where you can throw the big hook.” More...