onefrombills
10-29-2008, 03:03 AM
By Bill Snier
To say Jennifer Petrick is living a dream would be an understatement. "I still wake up in the morning and fist-pump the air," the 26-year-old Canton resident said. "It's just a dream come true."
Petrick officially begins her touring professional career Thursday as the PBA Women's Series opens in Omaha, Neb., in conjunction with the PBA Tour's Pepsi Viper Championship.
The 16 women involved in the PBA Women's Series will roll 14 qualifying games on the opening day, seven in each session, with the cut made to the top 10 for match play. The final two players participate along with the men in the weekly Sunday nationally televised TV finals on ESPN.
Participants include 12 who advanced through the Tour Trials via the U.S. Women's Open and four who received automatic berths after capturing titles during the 2007-08 PBA Women's Series.
For Petrick, a three-time Team USA member, this is the start of a new career. Following her top-16 finish in the U.S. Women's Open and qualification for the PBA Women's Series, she had to leave amateur bowling behind.
"I must have been pretty confident because I put up my own money to go for this," Petrick said. "Last year, I didn't quite make it. But I worked on the things that I had to, and I made the improvements in my game. Everything just kind of went my way."
To say Jennifer Petrick is living a dream would be an understatement. "I still wake up in the morning and fist-pump the air," the 26-year-old Canton resident said. "It's just a dream come true."
Petrick officially begins her touring professional career Thursday as the PBA Women's Series opens in Omaha, Neb., in conjunction with the PBA Tour's Pepsi Viper Championship.
The 16 women involved in the PBA Women's Series will roll 14 qualifying games on the opening day, seven in each session, with the cut made to the top 10 for match play. The final two players participate along with the men in the weekly Sunday nationally televised TV finals on ESPN.
Participants include 12 who advanced through the Tour Trials via the U.S. Women's Open and four who received automatic berths after capturing titles during the 2007-08 PBA Women's Series.
For Petrick, a three-time Team USA member, this is the start of a new career. Following her top-16 finish in the U.S. Women's Open and qualification for the PBA Women's Series, she had to leave amateur bowling behind.
"I must have been pretty confident because I put up my own money to go for this," Petrick said. "Last year, I didn't quite make it. But I worked on the things that I had to, and I made the improvements in my game. Everything just kind of went my way."