Johnson leads 2024 PWBA GoBowling! Twin Cities Open PTQ
May 02, 2024
EAGAN, Minn. – Caitlyn Johnson of Beaumont, Texas, averaged 225 over six games on Thursday to lead the 2024 PWBA GoBowling! Twin Cities Open pre-tournament qualifier at Cedarvale Lanes in Eagan, Minnesota, and advance into the main competition.
The 2023 PWBA Pepsi Open winner reached the top of the standings thanks to games of 266, 193, 217, 181, 278 and 215, which gave her a six-game total of 1,350.
Summer Jasmin of Beckley, West Virginia (1,341); Crystal Elliot of Palm Bay, Florida (1,333); Cassidy Courey of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1,322), and Mexico’s Sandra Gongora (1,278) all averaged 213 or better to round out Wednesday’s top five.
The remaining advancing spots into the tournament proper were claimed by Sarah Smith of Van Meter, Iowa (1,271), Jessica Earnest of Hermitage, Tennessee (1,266), Rebecca Hagerman of Loves Park, Illinois (1,253), Katie Ann Sopp-Schroeder of Lino Lakes, Minnesota (1,250), Brooke Salzman of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota (1,246), Maranda Pattison of Redwood Valley, California (1,240), Singapore’s Charmaine Chang (1,233) and Courtney Wolf of Sturtevant, Wisconsin (1,228).
Despite finishing the day atop the standings in the 38-player PTQ field, Johnson had a few nerves that had to be quelled before competition began on Thursday.
“It was more nerve racking than a normal stop knowing that I just flew for five hours to come and potentially not even participate in the tournament,” Johnson said. “However, once I started bowling, I just started having a good time and took things one ball at a time. That allowed me to hit a few good pairs and get some good scores.”
Johnson was not a PWBA member for the past few years due to life getting in the way, but after her win in Waterloo, Iowa, last year, she got her card this year and started getting back into tournament shape while also managing a full time job as a bowling center manager.
“I missed bowling competitively, and I didn’t really realize how much I missed it until Iowa,” Johnson said. “I just love getting back out here and seeing everybody’s faces and getting to catch up; this is like my second family to me.”
Johnson and 74 other competitors will hit the lanes Friday morning at 11 a.m. Eastern for the first of two six-game qualifying blocks, after which a cut will be made to the top third of the field.
Those bowlers will participate in a third round of qualifying on Saturday morning starting at 10 a.m. Eastern. After 18 games, the top 12 bowlers will take part in a final six-game block to determine the top five for the stepladder finals, which will be contested on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
The 2023 PWBA Pepsi Open winner reached the top of the standings thanks to games of 266, 193, 217, 181, 278 and 215, which gave her a six-game total of 1,350.
Summer Jasmin of Beckley, West Virginia (1,341); Crystal Elliot of Palm Bay, Florida (1,333); Cassidy Courey of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1,322), and Mexico’s Sandra Gongora (1,278) all averaged 213 or better to round out Wednesday’s top five.
The remaining advancing spots into the tournament proper were claimed by Sarah Smith of Van Meter, Iowa (1,271), Jessica Earnest of Hermitage, Tennessee (1,266), Rebecca Hagerman of Loves Park, Illinois (1,253), Katie Ann Sopp-Schroeder of Lino Lakes, Minnesota (1,250), Brooke Salzman of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota (1,246), Maranda Pattison of Redwood Valley, California (1,240), Singapore’s Charmaine Chang (1,233) and Courtney Wolf of Sturtevant, Wisconsin (1,228).
Despite finishing the day atop the standings in the 38-player PTQ field, Johnson had a few nerves that had to be quelled before competition began on Thursday.
“It was more nerve racking than a normal stop knowing that I just flew for five hours to come and potentially not even participate in the tournament,” Johnson said. “However, once I started bowling, I just started having a good time and took things one ball at a time. That allowed me to hit a few good pairs and get some good scores.”
Johnson was not a PWBA member for the past few years due to life getting in the way, but after her win in Waterloo, Iowa, last year, she got her card this year and started getting back into tournament shape while also managing a full time job as a bowling center manager.
“I missed bowling competitively, and I didn’t really realize how much I missed it until Iowa,” Johnson said. “I just love getting back out here and seeing everybody’s faces and getting to catch up; this is like my second family to me.”
Johnson and 74 other competitors will hit the lanes Friday morning at 11 a.m. Eastern for the first of two six-game qualifying blocks, after which a cut will be made to the top third of the field.
Those bowlers will participate in a third round of qualifying on Saturday morning starting at 10 a.m. Eastern. After 18 games, the top 12 bowlers will take part in a final six-game block to determine the top five for the stepladder finals, which will be contested on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.