GREEN BAY, Wis. – After 24 games at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin, five talented bowlers will head to the Resch Center for the stepladder finals Sunday evening at the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Anniversary Open.
The No. 1 seed is left-hander Kayla Smith of Rockford, Illinois, making her first stepladder appearance in her second year out on tour after a final qualifying block of 1,593, the second-highest six-game block since 2015.
“I’m not quite sure if I’ve fully wrapped my head around everything,” said Smith, who started the round in 10th place before climbing to the top spot with a near triplicate final three games (278, 278 and 277 for 833). “It’s an incredible tournament to be a part of and more incredible to perform (in the arena).”
No. 2 seed, Josie Barnes of Hermitage, Tennessee, hasn’t left the top five all week long and seeks her second title of the year after winning the United States Bowling Congress Queens in May, while No. 3 seed, Verity Crawley of England, is looking for her first title since 2023.
Starting the show will be No. 4 seed Nora Johansson of Sweden and No. 5 seed Rocio Restrepo of Colombia in a battle between youth and experience as this is Johansson’s first stepladder appearance while it’s Restrepo’s 13th stepladder.
Smith will lean on her prior TV experience as a collegiate bowler at McKendree and Jacksonville State, but knows it’s much different when there are thousands of fans in the arena and just her in the concourse.
“It’s going to be something I’ve never been a part of,” Smith said. “I’m going to have to ground myself, feel my feet on the earth and try to go back to the place (mentally) I was at today.”
All five competitors will bowl a practice session Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. Eastern to adjust to the newly built lanes at the Resch Center. Johansson and Restrepo kick off the show Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern, live only on CBS Sports Network.
The TV show is open to the public and will coincide with the Opening Ceremonies of the Junior Gold Championships.
