Bowling

Queens victory gives Macpherson 6th major

Wendy Macpherson won her 20th career title and sixth major by defeating Orlando's Kendra Gaines 218-193 in the WIBC Queens Tournament at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev.

Macpherson, of Henderson, Nev., earned $14,000 in the first of 13 Professional Women's Bowling Association events this year.

Andi Whitlock of Middletown, Del., defeated 2002 champion Shirley Levens of Cocoa to win the fourth annual WIBC Senior Queens title.

"I don't think it has sunk in yet," Macpherson said. "Last year I felt like I had an off year so this season I was very focused on getting back into contention every week."

Competing in her PWBA-record 103rd televised finals, Macpherson trailed Gaines by six pins in the eighth frame, but won with five consecutive strikes.

Gaines, who defeated Tish Johnson of Northridge, Calif., 222-215 in the semifinals, won $11,000.

Whitlock edged Levens 528-520 in the first double-elimination finals, handing Levens her first loss and forcing a second game. Whitlock won the second 523-508, earning $3,000.

Whitlock won six matches in the winners bracket to reach the finals. She defeated two former Senior Queens champions, Rose Smith of Las Vegas and Sandra Postma of Lansing, Ill.

The finals will air on ESPN2 at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The PWBA tour continues May 24 with the U. S. Open at Sterling Heights, Mich.

PBA UPDATE: The ESPN cable show recorded a viewership increase for the second straight season. Ratings have increased 25 percent over the past two seasons.

This season's top money winner was Ocala's Walter Ray Williams Jr. with $419,700. Chris Barnes of Dallas was second at $183,930, Clermont's Jason Couch third at $150,470, Clermont's Norm Duke fourth at $145,000 and Bryon Smith of Roseburg, Ore., fifth at $136,700.

The PBA Storm Regional Players Championship is June 8-12 at the Castaways in Las Vegas.

The 10-stop senior tour opens May 3-6 with the Chillicothe Open in Ohio.

ABC UPDATE: Bowlers Edge Pro Shop continues to lead the Regular Division team competition with a 3,294, and Derek Sapp of Macomb, Ill., and Sean Rash of Anchorage are the doubles leaders at 1,540. Shawn Thielen of Cold Spring, Minn., is the singles leader with a 796.

Garden Center Lanes No. 4 of Alexandria, Minn., is the new Classified Division team leader at 2,843 while G. Slim Slater of Federal Way, Wash., and Ray Burke of Gig Harbor, Wash., hold the doubles lead at 1,300. Ricardo Mesa of Miami is the singles leader with a 690.

The tournament, in Knoxville, Tenn., ends June 22.

WIBC UPDATE: Canada's Karen Collura and Connie Ward set a WIBC tournament doubles record last week with a 1,496 pinfall in the Classic Division at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno. Collura rolled a tourney-high 780 series and Ward had a 716 to beat the previous mark by 62 pins.

PWBA player of the year Michelle Feldman of Skaneateles, N.Y., grabbed the singles lead with a 764 and also the all-events lead with a 2,048. Barry Asher's Embroidery of Yorba Linda, Calif., is the team leader at 3,220.

Sterling Photo of Palm Bay is the Division 3 team leader with a 2,437 pinfall, and Sylisa Freiburger of Orlando is second in singles with a 590 series. The tournament ends July 8.

UCF AT NATIONALS: The University of Central Florida men's and women's teams will compete in the Intercollegiate Bowling Championships April 23-26 at Tulsa, Okla. ESPN2 will air the finals at 2 p.m. June 6.

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