The USBC Queens is an annual ten-pin bowling event for amateur and professional female bowlers, sanctioned by the United States Bowling Congress. The event is one of two women's professional majors and the female equivalent of the USBC Masters, now one of the four majors on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour.
The USBC Queens made its debut in 1961, as a companion to the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) Tournament.[1] It was known as the WIBC Queens from 1961-2004, until the WIBC became a part of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) on January 1, 2005. The tournament now offers the largest prize fund for a women’s major championship in North America, and annually attracts a field of hundreds of the top bowlers.[2]
The format for the USBC Queens tournament is similar to the USBC Masters. All entrants bowl 10 games of qualifying over two days. The top 25 percent bowl five final qualifying games on the morning of Day 3. The top 63 qualifiers plus the previous year's champion then bowl match play -- starting in the afternoon of Day 3 and continuing into Day 4. Match play consists of three-game, total-pinfall matches in a double-elimination format. The last five remaining players take part in the live televised finals on Day 5.[3]
Eight bowlers have won at least two USBC Queens titles, with only two winning three times: Millie Ignizio (Martorella) (1967, 1970, 1971) and Wendy Macpherson (1988, 2000, 2003). Both bowlers are now in the USBC Hall of Fame.
The 2010 USBC Queens event took place April 24-28 in El Paso, Texas. It was won by Kelly Kulick, who also captured the title in 2007.[4] The 2011 USBC Queens took place April 23-27 in Syracuse, New York, and was won by Missy Parkin (formerly Missy Bellinder).[5]