U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN SHIFTS TO
TEXAS IN 2010 WITH NEW FORMAT

With a revised format and live televised finals, the U.S. Women's Open, a United States Bowling Congress event, will return in 2010 with the qualifying and match-play rounds hosted by Cityview Lanes, a 64-lane center in Fort Worth, Texas.

The competition at Cityview Lanes, which will be held May 6-11, kicks off a series of major bowling events in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The 2010 USBC Hall of Fame dinner will take place May 11 at the City Club in downtown Fort Worth, while the 2010 USBC Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place May 12 on the grounds of the International Bowling Campus in Arlington.

Following the Hall of Fame ceremony, the live televised finals of the U.S. Women's Open will take place at the International Training and Research Center in Arlington at 6:30 p.m. CDT on ESPN2.

For the first time since returning in 2007, the U.S. Women's Open will feature round-robin match play. Players will compete in three eight-game blocks from May 7-9 with the top 24 players advancing to match play May 10-11. The four players with the best 48-game totals, including match-play bonus pins, will compete in the live stepladder finals.

"Match play is a traditional part of major bowling tournaments, and this format is more representative of a true U.S. Women's Open test," USBC Vice President of Media Pete Tredwell said. "And having one live TV finals show instead of five taped TV finals shows creates additional excitement while being more cost effective."

Tammy Boomershine of North Ogden, Utah, topped a field of 170 players, including 59 international competitors, to win the 2009 event, which was held at Strike Zone Bowling Center inside the Sunset Station Hotel and Casino in Henderson, Nev.

The qualifying and match play portions of the 2010 U.S. Women's Open will shift to Cityview Lanes, the largest center in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

"This will bring a lot of prestige for us," Cityview General Manager Bill Blackerby said. "It's an opportunity for us to show off the new look we have at the center."

In conjunction with the U.S. Women's Open, USBC will conduct its Hall of Fame ceremony outdoors and separate from its annual tournament or convention venue for the first time.

"Our goals in moving the inductions to Arlington are to spotlight the new International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and International Bowling Campus while possibly growing the event into something big every year," Tredwell said. "The inspiration for this idea comes from the annual baseball and pro football ceremonies. Those venues allow for large crowds and major media coverage. Plus having it the same day as the U.S. Women's Open brings more focus to both events."

The Veterans and Meritorious Service part of the class of 2010 will be announced in November with the Superior Performance inductees to follow in December or January.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

May 6-11
U.S. Women's Open Practice, Qualifying and Match Play
Cityview Lanes, Fort Worth

May 11
USBC Hall of Fame Dinner
City Club, Fort Worth

May 12
USBC Hall of Fame Ceremonies
International Bowling Campus, Arlington

May 12
U.S. Women's Open Stepladder Finals, 6:30 p.m. CDT
International Bowling Campus, Arlington (live ESPN2 broadcast)