September 2015 -
11
McEwan Wins The Smithfield PWBA
Tour Championship
By Aaron Smith
ARLINGTON, Texas -
Danielle McEwan of Stony
Point, New York, recorded her first professional victory
by claiming The Smithfield Professional Women's
Bowling Association Tour Championship promoted by
GoBowling.com.
In the championship match, broadcast live on CBS
Sports Network, McEwan defeated Stefanie Johnson of
Grand Prairie, Texas, 233-205, at the International
Training and Research Center.
McEwan overcame two 7-10 splits in the first six
frames of the title match before settling in and deliver-
ing the final five strikes to force Johnson to double in
the 10th to secure her second title of the season and
PWBA Player of the Year honors.
"After the first one, I thought it was just a bad break
and that it would be fine," McEwan said. "The second
one really bothered me. I threw away the wood on the
spare, which was not smart. After that I calmed down
and made sure that pin didn't hurt me at the end of the
match."
Johnson's first shot in the 10th went through the head
pin, leaving a 7-10 split, to give the 24-year-old right-
hander the title and $20,000 top prize.
"Everyone saw how emotional I got, and I'm usually
not like that," McEwan said. "It's been a long year, and
I'm so grateful to have the opportunity. It's good to see
how everything I've worked for has paid off. This win
means everything."
McEwan made her way into the final by defeating Liz
Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, in the semifinals,
278-224. Stefanie Johnson earned her spot in the
championship match by besting PWBA spokesperson
Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, 231-224.
The event also finalized the PWBA Player of the Year
race with Liz Johnson topping Stefanie Johnson for the
honor.
Stefanie Johnson claimed PWBA Rookie
of
the Year.
Liz Johnson, a USBC Hall of Famer, captured three
titles, including the United States Bowling Congress
Queens and Bowlmor AMF U.S. Women's Open, dur-
ing the 2015 season and led all competitors in points,
earnings and wins to take home the award for the first
time in her storied career.
"It has been an incredible 2015 season," Liz Johnson
said. "I didn't think at the beginning of the year that
something like this would have happened. It's just been
an amazing year, and I really worked hard for every-
thing I got. Hopefully there's more to come."
Stefanie Johnson captured her first title at the PWBA
Wichita Open in July, and led the tour in cashes and
match-play appearances.
"It's a dream come true," Stefanie Johnson said. "Just
to have this opportunity to bowl with the best of the best
and continue to put myself in position to win was amaz-
ing, and to win Rookie of the Year has been the icing
on the cake."
PWBA members qualified for the Tour Championship
by either winning a title during the 2015 season or
earning enough competition points. All 2015 PWBA
Tour champions (who were members at the time of
their victory) received an automatic invitation to the
Tour Championship, and the remainder of the 16-player
field was filled out through the PWBA points list.
2015 SMITHFIELD PWBA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
PROMOTED BY GOBOWLING.COM
At International Training and Research Center, Arling-
ton, TX
Sunday's Results
SEMIFINALS
(Losers eliminated, earn $5,000)
Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., def. Liz Johnson,
Cheektowaga, N.Y., 278-224
Stefanie Johnson, Grand Prairie, Texas, def. Kelly Ku-
lick, Union, N.J., 231-224
CHAMPIONSHIP
(Winner earns $20,000; Loser earns $10,000)
McEwan def. S. Johnson, 233-205
The moment you watch your daughter achieve her
dreams and win her first
our title...
Looking Back:
