USBC HALL OF FAMER
DORIN-BALLARD BACK ON ESPN


After a one-week hiatus, the 2009 U.S. Women's Open, a United States Bowling Congress event, returns to ESPN this Sunday at 2 p.m. EDT.

On this week's show, USBC Hall of Famer Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, Texas, will continue her quest for her first U.S. Women's Open title. She has been among the final four players the last three times the event has been held, including a runner-up finish in 2003, but the coveted green jacket still is missing from her wardrobe.

Although she would love to find the winner's circle and claim the fourth major victory of her career, the 20-time Professional Women's Bowling Association champion says she doesn't put any more emphasis on this event over any other.

During qualifying at the 2009 tournament, the fact that she has never won the prestigious event did cross her mind, but she was more focused on just bowling her best against a talented 170-player field that included 59 international players.

In the end, Dorin-Ballard found herself in second place after 40 games of qualifying at Strike Zone Bowling Center inside the Sunset Station Hotel and Casino in Henderson, Nev., and she earned one of 12 spots for the televised portion of the 2009 event. She and defending champion Kim Terrell-Kearney are the only two bowlers to appear on TV at each U.S. Women's Open since 2007.

On Sunday's show, Dorin-Ballard will take on the winner of the opening match between long-time Team USA member Lynda Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, and Colombian star Clara Guerrero, who now lives in Pflugerville, Texas.

Whether she faces the red-hot Guerrero, who recently claimed two gold medals at the 2009 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships, or Barnes, her good friend and USBC Women's Championships teammate, the goal, winning, is the same for Dorin-Ballard.

"Clara has been bowling better and better over the last couple of years, and she's coming off of an amazing run at the World Championships," Dorin-Ballard said. "Lynda is as good as they come and has accomplished so much already. There definitely aren't any easy wins out here. And you always hate bowling your friends, but when you're on the lanes, you're just competitors."

The list of bowlers who qualified for the televised portion of the event reads like a who's who of women's bowling, and it will be a hard road to the title for each of them.

On the first two shows of the five-part series, which began in September and will continue through October (4, 11 and 18), Tammy Boomershine of North Ogden, Utah, and Team USA member Shannon Pluhowsky of Phoenix were victorious and earned their way onto the final show, where the champion will be crowned.

"The field includes so many bowlers who have already proven they can succeed on TV, and with a group so strong, it's anyone's ballgame," said Dorin-Ballard, who finished tied for third at the event in 2007 and 2008. "Everyone has some sort of special experience they're bringing with them, so it should be pretty exciting."

The next show in the series (Oct. 11) will feature two-time U.S. Women's Open champion Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., and former Team USA member Missy Bellinder of Fullerton, Calif., battling for the chance to face top-seed Shannon O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas. The winner will advance to the series finale.

Any competitor who rolls a 300 game on one of the first four TV shows will receive a $25,000 bonus. A perfect game in the semifinals or championship match (the fifth show) will earn the player $100,000.

Qualifying at the U.S. Women's Open was at held Strike Zone Bowling Center from Aug. 4-7, and the five TV shows were taped Aug. 8-9.

For more information on the U.S. Women's Open, visit BOWL.com.