Professional Bowlers Association

1/23/2010 3:28:52 PM #

well said....although i would change it to ALL of the top-ranked bowlers in the world

brad beard

1/23/2010 3:50:49 PM #

Kelly Kulick winning the tournament of champions is truly a cinderella story for the ages. She will have a bright future ahead of her with the men of bowling and will make all the other ladies of bowling proud.

Dustin

1/23/2010 4:30:57 PM #

As much as winning two adrenelaine packed games for a major championship was, we can't forget the 48 game marathon in which Kelly finished 2nd.  To me, that alone was a huge feat, the rest was just befitting.  Great job Kelly!

Todd

1/23/2010 4:49:19 PM #

Congrats Kelly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

skip

1/23/2010 4:53:56 PM #

Great comment, Todd...I've been trying to explain to non-bowling fans that this wasn't a matter of Kelly just catching "lightning in a bottle" for a moment...this wasn't winning the lottery...it was a grueling format and extremely challenging week of bowling that propelled her onto a stage where she refused to wilt under the pressure of the moment and the talent of two seasoned players.  This was not a fluke...this was not luck...this was INCREDIBLE!

Torre Grissom

1/23/2010 4:59:00 PM #

Well said Billie Jean.

JULIUS MAY

1/23/2010 5:54:40 PM #

Congratulations, Kelly, and best for the future.  Soak up the moment.  You deserve it.  As a Youth coach, I try to instill a "can do" attitude in all our youth bowlers. You are an inspiration, and your victory in the TOC will go a long way with our young league bowlers.  

Coach Dan

1/23/2010 6:30:49 PM #

Just like the big deal that was made when Annika played the Colonial (golf) Tournament with the men, she same as Kelly deserved to be there. This was not about girls vs boys, this was about bowler vs bowler. Kelly said it perfectly when at the end she said she did not bowl Chris Barnes, she bowled the pins. The exclaimation point was when she was able to finish the way she did after the awful break with the pocket 7-10. It showed that she was there to go one frame at a time. Well deserved and well earned after her performance all week. Her opponents all week were the best of the best and you can't point to an easy draw as the top 24 in match play had to play everyone.

Randy Ihrke

1/23/2010 7:00:09 PM #

well said torre

brad beard

1/23/2010 7:10:10 PM #

Congrats to Kelly. I feel that the top bowlers this season have not focused and performed to their potential.  They deserved to lose today and all week qualifying, and the entire season. We can see that from all of the first time champions winning the trophies.   They have been spoiled by the PBA.  They are not working hard on their game, they are missing single pin spares like ever before... and have lost the hunger to be a champion.

Ken Neumann

1/23/2010 7:51:40 PM #

What a boon for the PBA and bowling in general. What Kelly Kulick did in beating the best bowlers in the world hands down for none other than a major title is not only historical, but industry-changing. I grew up watching the PBA and remember when a PBA title was worth $40,000 and a major $100,000. Those days are gone, but with the class, professionalism and God given talent displayed by Kulick today, maybe bowling will once again regain some of the respect it rightfully deserves after having been tarnished by poor corporate decisions and lack of sponsorship and its loss of appeal to many as a valid sport.

Greg Lamb

1/23/2010 8:24:43 PM #

This victory brought tears to my eyes - inasmuch as it exemplified what any good bowler knows - it's not all physical - it's mostly mental - you are bowling against the pins. You can't control what your opponent does -there's no defense in bowling. As a woman bowler who has competed against men for a good portion of my life (there's not a lot of tournaments for scratch women in many parts of the country), I applaud Kelly for her performance the whole week, as well as in the title match, and I know she will be a great role model for the future young bowlers - male and female. Hard work and dedication pays off!  Congrats Kelly and I will look forward to watching you throughout the next two years on the tour!  

Julie Heath

1/23/2010 8:34:59 PM #

Kelly - My congratulations. It was only a matter of time for a woman to
breakthrough and win in this kind of setting.  Liz Johnson nearly did.

Paul A. Onstott

1/23/2010 9:09:23 PM #

Fabulous performance under pressure!  As many have stated, just getting to the final day was a major accomplishment.  Great as well to have Billie Jean King in your corner, a trailblazing woman in many respects.

George

George

1/24/2010 2:31:36 AM #

***Great Job, Kelly   You work very hard to get to the top, your game is top notch. I learn some tips from you when you was here in Allen Park.
I knew you could do it, it take time and patience.

Tim James

1/24/2010 4:36:06 AM #

Congratulations Kelly! I have long said that bowling is the one true sport where all can compete equally. You proved that you can not only compete, but conquer! Great week and incredible final match.

Kathy Gurak

1/24/2010 5:03:54 AM #

I've been a bowler in league play only for 38yrs and even though Chris Barnes said it did not matter if you are male or female, I am bowling an opponent.  Well I think it does matter because overall professional bowling males tend to be slightly better bowlers which shows in their overall averages, so in this tournament of champions, Kelly has proved that it does not matter what the overall averages are, it just comes down to the finals and whoever can perform the best will win and what made it that much more exciting is that a major tournament was won by a women for the first time.
Mike S

Michael Steinman

1/24/2010 5:45:28 AM #

It was a great event for Kelly, and of course she has worked hard on her game, so i do congratulate her.  My only suggestion would be to save the commentary with her mom until after the camera is off her.  Nothing like someone saying they will use the TOC trophy as an ashtray!

Just Sayin

1/24/2010 6:06:28 AM #

Kelly is in a class of her own compared to other Pro Women Bowlers. I believe she will be exempt on the mens tour for a long time, but as for other Pro Women Bowlers wanting to make the jump.... no chance!

Colby

1/24/2010 7:13:39 AM #

All of us at the Dick Ritger Bowling Camps are barely breathing, we are so proud of her.  Years ago, when Kelly was a young teenager and attending our camp for the first time, Dick said that she had that special something to become a champion!  Now as a Lead Instructor for our camps, she brings class and style to her teaching, and leads all of us forward into the future!  Kelly, we love you and are beyond proud of this accomplishment.  This proves that good things do happen to good people.  We know how long and hard you have worked to get here.

Sue Hamilton

1/24/2010 8:11:55 AM #

Way to go Kelly!!!!! Thankfully Kelly won and not CDB. - TB

Ted Bell

1/24/2010 2:00:53 PM #

Now with history being made, these women deserve a tour of their own with healthy prize fund payouts.Not just token gesture type of tour. I am amazed how they are treated as second class citizen's when it comes to the women's series with the paltry pay outs, the women competitors are not only as equal,but are also more entertaining then the men's series! In my opinion they are smarter than the men due to the fact that they are not just pure power players! Kelly played the perfect shot in winning this well deserved major title. Kudos Kelly!

Tony Valadez

1/24/2010 2:09:22 PM #

Not only was this great, but I wonder in what other professional sport has a women won one of the top men's tournaments?  I hope that this story gets picked up for the truly newsworthy story that it is.  Congratulations Kelly!

Eric

1/24/2010 3:05:30 PM #

  She isn't a great female bowler, she is a great frick'n bowler.  I'm a guy, and I was blown away by her performance.  I always thought she was good, but I was never a true fan until I witnessed the 267 final game of qualifiying on Friday at Red Rock.  What most people don't understand is that the bowlers had to wait 20 minutes before bowling the final game.  She had every reason to fall apart, she refused.  Won me over right there.  Then Sunday was just sick.  

Aaron Kinkelaar

1/24/2010 3:16:23 PM #

My wife and I are thrilled at Kelly winning. I have always thought she had the ability. She is one of the few women bowlers I have seen that have enough "ball" to play the entire lane. This is getting the PBA some much needed press.

Art Zerbach

1/24/2010 3:41:01 PM #

Congratulations to you Kelly Kulick!!! You were absolutely awesome on Sunday as you were all week!!! I watched you advance from 6th to 2nd on Friday and could hardly believe you had actually done that...a huge feat in itself. Then for you to bowl so fabulously on Sunday seemed almost superhuman. Never have I seen a bowler who looked more focused than you did on Sunday. Each of your strikes even looked as beautiful as the one before and the one after. You were one of my instructors at camp the August after you got your exemption at the PBA tour trials. Since then I have followed your career and proudly tell my fellow bowlers that you were one of my instructors at camp. Now that you have accomplished this remarkable feat I am so proud of you and proud that I know an individual like you who has not only physical talent but the mental strength to control your emotions and execute like you did. You continue to be an inspiration to me as well as all bowlers...male or female. You have truly already had a great impact on the sport of bowling and I hope you get at least part of the credit you deserve for your hard work and dedication to our sport. Again, congratulations Kelly!!! Your friend,  Carl Lorenzen

Carl Lorenzen

1/24/2010 4:08:02 PM #

I am proud and privileged to have been able to witness "Double K"'s perform... truly an historic first of the greatest magnitude! As the father of three girls and a bowler myself I just want to say to Kelly THANK YOU...because of your accomplishment you have shown to our children(male or female)that through their hard work and dedication any of their goals in life can be met.

Leon Smith Sr.

1/24/2010 4:20:02 PM #

i watched her make history; one might think she would falter, after the pocket 7-10 split in the 6th frame, but she then strung another 5 five  more strikes;
virtually all were dead perfect in the pocket, as her ball went dead center to pick up the 8-9 in the back row; i have never seen such perfect strikes; a machine could not have done better;

rinkles

1/24/2010 6:31:58 PM #

What a joke.  "Several of the top men bowlers".  Worst backhanded cutdown I've ever read.  She beat EVERYONE in the world that even matters in the slightest, to say otherwise is straight up slander.  

matt c

1/24/2010 7:47:48 PM #

Kelly, all I can say is "JOB WELL DONE"!!!!

SHOEMAN

1/24/2010 8:00:13 PM #

Matt,

It's not backhanded, Billie Jean is presumably ignorant of the tournament format. She should have realized that bowling tournaments are truly one against all up until match play, not bracketed like most tennis tournaments are. Billie Jean King is not about to slight the accomplishment.

Earl

1/24/2010 8:03:54 PM #

On a different note, I can't tell you how excited my wife was while watching the telecast. She wants to tell everyone she can about Kelly's accomplishment. This is certainly going to be an unprecedented boon for exposure to the tour. Like the tv guys were saying, "Can you say Oprah?". That's the truth. She's going to open up the sport to some new folks.

Earl

1/24/2010 9:23:44 PM #

Sorry to rain a little on this story, BUT the rules were changed to allow a woman to bowl this tournament. It was, that you had to win a title on the mens tour to enter the mens TOC.The mens tour has been open to women for few years now. Now if a woman wins a certain womans tournament (not open to men), she now gets a spot in the mens TOC. Yes she bowled great all week and on TV, BUT she got a spot that was not open to all bowlers.

Tom L.

1/24/2010 10:38:42 PM #

Tom,I'm guessing you forgot,the spot is ALWAYS availible!All you would have to do Tom is show some spine,shoe up and win a TOUR event.GREAT BOWLING KELLY!!!!!!

Ed

1/24/2010 10:43:31 PM #

Tom L, you hit the nail on the head

ron jr

1/24/2010 10:44:37 PM #

Tom L. - that may be true, but if she can win the ToC, she could probably win at any other men's event as well.  This is one of the most grueling formats in the PBA.

If the rules were changed and everyone agreed to them, then what difference does it make?  Rules are changed all the time.

This was an incredible day for Kelly and a great moment for bowling and sports in general.  Congrats Kelly and the PBA!

Josh

1/24/2010 10:48:58 PM #

Josh, you are also correct,anyway you look at it.everybody has there own opinion

ron jr

1/24/2010 10:51:05 PM #

Clearly it still escapes you she not only won a mens' event she won the BIGGEST!!!!!!!

Ed

1/24/2010 11:21:15 PM #

Congrats Kelly for putting the top bowlers in the world in their place.  Its great for once to see somebody step up & perform.  She had to grind for the last 8 games to make the show...needing a double in the 10th to advance to the finals & winning a Major with 10 out of 12 strikes.  Sean "Diaper" Rash can't convert single pin spares & sprays the lane on every telecast.  Chris "Choke" Barnes lives up to his name when the lights come on & Kelly stuffs it in the pocket all afternoon (consistently) for a cool 40K!!!

Perry

1/25/2010 12:32:19 AM #

I actually had tears as I watched that amazing performance by a classy gal. I wish the women's tour would return. The young ladies of the sports world should find inspiration for years to come (reminded me of the USA hockey victory over Russia) YES I DO believe in miracles!

Bob Woods

1/25/2010 2:09:45 AM #

My congratulations to Kelly Kulick.  As I was watching her matches on television the 1st on beating Mika, next coming up against one of the best male players we will see this century.  I was worried for Kelly that the pressure of winning would take its toll.  Thank you Kelly for proving me wrong.  As I was watching Kelly bowl, I never saw her too fast at the line, pull up, she was solid as a rock, her timing perfect, her swing, her follow through, was like a machine. If anyone would like to copy her style, please do. If you are a good bowler you know when everything is there, good things begin to happen, pins fall a bit easier, staying focus is hard to maintain in that environment, but you can not rule out sheer will and determination.  Her opponent may have been Chris Barnes, but she felt her opponent were the pins, she is right, it is not who you bowl against, it is getting to the line consistantly, keeping everything in the same position shot after shot so you can knock down the pins.  Kelly your are a class act.  I watched her bowl the time trials in Hammond when she qualified.  I know I have revs into the mid to high range.  I have always wanted to have more, Kelly has the more.  She is a down to earth person.  My hope for Kelly is keep proving all the naysayers that women should not be bowling on the mens tour, she can and has proved them wrong.  Bowling is not how hard you throw the ball, how many more revs can you create, bowling is about repeating shots over time and time again, and picking up your spares. Whether you have a low rev rate and speed, a mid rev rate and mid speed, or like me between the high and mid rev rate and speed.  Accuracy and timing are two main goals I prefer teaching before teaching them how to crank it up a notch or two.  I hope Kelly continues to do well on tour.  I glad she has the opportunity, maybe her win will bring more people and more sponsors to the PBA.  I am now a little to old to go for it.  Leave it to the young ones,  I hope she inspires the younger bowlers both male and female to achieve their dreams

Debbie G

1/25/2010 4:06:35 AM #

Please stop the rain.  This is actually the first year a female had a guarantee spot in the TOC.  Since the PWBA folded, they could have qualified only via a Pro Tour win.  A win of the Women's World Championship was added this year as the PBA's effort to resurrect professional women's bowling.  Regardless of that, remember, the TOC is composed of the latest winners on the tour which included all of the greatest bowlers currently on tour not to mention hall of famers.  To bowl against them all week and end up qualifying second is a great accomplishment on it's own.  Then to tough it out in her first match over Mika and completely blow away Chris Barnes in the final... that was a well earned and well deserved win.  Congratulations Ms. Kelly Kulick... great bowling.

Pete

1/25/2010 8:46:51 AM #

Congratulations Kelly! There is also one other thing that needs to be said about her win. She proved that accuracy and getting the ball to the pocket is important and you dont need to throw the ball 20 miles with a rev rate in the stratosphere to get strikes. It does get tiring hearing Randy "Moon" Pederson talk about high rev rate and ball speed and not say anything about accuracy. Kelly showed what an accurate bowler can do despite lane conditions. I like the flat shots as it makes the "Top" bowlers throw accurate shots and not spray and pray.
Once again Congrats Kelly.

Art

1/25/2010 1:04:32 PM #

Congratulations Kelly! Like many others, I also had tears in my eyes watching Sunday's match.  It was the best thing that could have happened for women bowling.  

Shannon

1/25/2010 2:09:57 PM #

Very impressed with KK's performance all week. I believe & hope this accomplishment raises a lot of eyebrows about our SPORT of bowling. I've always told everyone that Bowling is one of those sports that "Anyone" can play to whatever level you want to take it. Men, Women, Kids, this will be inspirational for all. Great Job & congrats.

DR

Danny R

1/25/2010 2:35:18 PM #

Awesome...simply awesome! With the 2 year exemption, I truly look forward to seeing you have more opportunities like this one. My gut tells me we haven't seen the last of you in the PBA spotlight!

Congrats!!!

Steve

1/25/2010 3:38:54 PM #

Great win, no doubt....BUT....not a big fan of her comments on the last ball; a bit over the top, inflated...and her Mom saying she was going to use the trophy as an ash tray?!?!  What the...?  Way to class it up....

Jeff Lebowski

1/26/2010 8:43:54 PM #

great for bowling but not much publicty.Our paper never evan had a write up on it. Imagine what the coverage if  a women golfer won a major championship.

art gordon