Gillian Lim takes home 2025 PWBA Rookie of the Year honors
ARLINGTON, Texas – For the second straight season, a Malaysian bowler has won a major Professional Women’s Bowling Association award as Gillian Lim took home PWBA Rookie of the Year honors for the 2025 season.
The accomplishment allowed Lim to become the first Malaysian PWBA Rookie of the Year one year after Sin Li Jane was the first to win PWBA Player of the Year honors.
Lim started her 2025 campaign by leading the pre-tournament qualifier at the Go Bowling Topeka Open. She would go on to finish 15th in the tournament proper to collect her first of seven cashes for the season.
She continued to separate herself from the rest of the rookie class throughout the year, finishing nearly 25,000 points ahead of runner-up Jade Côté of Canada thanks to four top-12 finishes across 10 events, including the season-ending Tour Championship.
Along with her top-12 finishes, Lim also had four match-play appearances and averaged 212.84 for the season, knocking down 45,548 pins over 214 games for the 14th-highest average among eligible players.
The 26-year-old Team Malaysia bowler is no stranger to high-level competitions, earning a number of medals for her country as a youth member before being moved up to the adult team.
Nevertheless, Lim wasn’t overly concerned with results during her first year as a professional; instead, she just wanted to soak in the experience of the PWBA Tour.
“Coming into my first PWBA Tour season, my main goal was to gain experience, learn as much as I could and test myself against some of the best bowlers in the world,” Lim said. “I honestly didn’t expect to win Rookie of the Year. I just wanted to perform consistently and make gradual progress. Winning the award was truly a surprise and a huge honor, and it’s given me a lot more confidence and motivation moving forward.”
There was a natural learning curve for the rookie, which was eased by a support system of other Team Malaysia bowlers.
“Competing internationally with Team Malaysia taught me a lot, but the PWBA Tour has its own unique challenges, from different lane conditions to adapting to the competitive environment and travel demands,” Lim said. “Having Natasha Roslan, (MOTIV ball representative) Nathan Bohr and Sin Li Jane around made a huge difference. They provided guidance, shared their insights and offered constant support, which really helped me settle in and adjust more smoothly.”
Lim shares the award podium with the 2025 PWBA Player of the Year in Singapore’s New Hui Fen, marking the second time that international players have won PWBA Rookie and Player of the Year in the same year (1998), further spotlighting how international the tour has become since relaunching in 2015.
“It feels incredible to be part of such a historic moment,” Lim said. “Hui is an amazing bowler, and sharing this milestone with her makes it even more special. It’s inspiring to see international players making such a strong impact on the PWBA Tour, and I hope it motivates more bowlers from our region to chase their dreams and compete at the highest level.”
With the chapter closed on 2025 for Lim, she’ll look to build on what she accomplished this year during the 2026 season.
“My focus will be on building consistency and improving my mental game,” Lim said. “I want to convert what I’ve learned in my rookie season into stronger performances. My goal is to put myself in contention more often and hopefully compete for titles. Most importantly, I want to keep growing as a player and continue representing Malaysia proudly on the international stage.”
Team Malaysia was well represented this season as Lim, Sin and Roslan all finished in the top 24 in points while Hazirah Ramli finished third at the United States Bowling Congress Queens in her first PWBA Tour event.
The 2026 PWBA Tour season starts in April at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford, Illinois. For the full schedule, click HERE.
