NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) Liz Johnson won the U.S. Women's Open bowling title for the second straight year and fourth time overall, beating Shannon O'Keefe 190-189 on Sunday.
The 41-year-old Johnson, from Cheektowaga, New York, became the first player to successfully defend the title since Dorothy Fothergill in 1969, and the first to sweep the event and the USBC Queens since Kelly Kulick in 2010. Also the 1996 and 2007 winner, Johnson broke a tie for second on the event victory list behind eight-time champion Marion Ladewig.
In the final frame, Johnson covered a 4 pin and got seven on her fill ball to win.
''I made the best shot I could in the 10th, hoping to strike, so I didn't have to worry as much,'' Johnson said. ''I shanked the last shot, but it was enough. This is going to take a while to sink in, for sure. When the tour folded in 2003, we had no idea all of this would come back. It has been an incredible year, and I'm very grateful.''
Johnson earned $50,000. O'Keefe, from O'Fallon, Illinois, made $25,000.
Johnson beat Jazreel Tan of Singapore 199-177 in the semifinal.
Tan opened the stepladder final with a 195-190 victory over Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, and beat Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, 172-165 in the second game.
