The world governing body for bowling is the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ). Since 1954 it has sponsored world bowling championships.
In the United States, men’s bowling is governed by the American Bowling Congress (ABC), which was founded in 1895 but became a constituent of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) in 2004. In 1901 the first national championship was organized; in 1961 the yearly competition was split into two divisions—regular (for those with a combined average score of 851 or higher) and classic (for professionals). The classic division was discontinued in 1980. The Women’s International Bowling Congress (WIBC) was organized in 1916 and sponsored an annual women’s championship until 2004, when organizational mergers created the USBC. Competition takes place between teams, doubles, and singles. The all-events category is won by the individual who has the best score of nine games—three team, three doubles, and three singles scores. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) was established in 1958. One of its major tournaments is the annual Tournament of Champions.
Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tournament of Champions
The annual tournament has been held since 1960. This table shows results for the past 40 years.
|
YEAR |
CHAMPION |
|
1968 |
Dave Davis |
|
1969 |
Jim Godman |
|
1970 |
Don Johnson |
|
1971 |
Johnny Petraglia |
|
1972 |
Mike Durbin |
|
1973 |
Jim Godman |
|
1974 |
Earl Anthony |
|
1975 |
Dave Davis |
|
1976 |
Marshall Holman |
|
1977 |
Mike Berlin |
|
1978 |
Earl Anthony |
|
1979 |
George Pappas |
|
1980 |
Wayne Webb |
|
1981 |
Steve Cook |
|
YEAR |
CHAMPION |
|
1982 |
Mike Durbin |
|
1983 |
Joe Berardi |
|
1984 |
Mike Durbin |
|
1985 |
Mark Williams |
|
1986 |
Marshall Holman |
|
1987 |
Pete Weber |
|
1988 |
Mark Williams |
|
1989 |
Del Ballard, Jr. |
|
1990 |
Dave Ferraro |
|
1991 |
David Ozio |
|
1992 |
Marc McDowell |
|
1993 |
George Branham III |
|
1994 |
Norm Duke |
|
1995 |
Mike Aulby |
|
YEAR |
|
CHAMPION |
|
1996 |
|
Dave D’Entremont |
|
1997 |
|
John Gant |
|
1998 |
|
Bryan Goebel |
|
1999 |
|
Jason Couch |
|
2000 |
|
Jason Couch |
|
2001- |
02 |
not held |
|
2002- |
03 |
Jason Couch |
|
2003- |
04 |
Patrick Healey, Jr. |
|
2004- |
05 |
Steve Jaros |
|
2005- |
06 |
Chris Barnes |
|
2006- |
07 |
Tommy Jones |
|
2007- |
08 |
Michael Haugen, Jr. |
United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Bowling Championships—Regular Division
The championships have been held since 1901. This table shows results for the past 20 years.
|
YEAR |
SINGLES |
SCORE |
ALL-EVENTS |
SCORE |
|
1989 |
Paul Tetreault |
813 |
George Hall |
2,227 |
|
1990 |
Robert Hochrein |
791 |
Mike Neumann |
2,168 |
|
1991 |
Ed Deines |
826 |
Tom Howery |
2,216 |
|
1992 |
Gary Blatchford; Bob Youker, Jr. (tied) |
801 |
Mike Tucker |
2,158 |
|
1993 |
Dan Bock |
798 |
Jeff Nimke |
2,254 |
|
1994 |
John Weltzien |
810 |
Thomas Holt |
2,190 |
|
1995 |
Matt Surina |
826 |
Jeff Kwiatkowski |
2,191 |
|
1996 |
Don Scudder, Jr. |
823 |
Scott Kurtz |
2,224 |
|
1997 |
John Socha |
847 |
Jeff Richgels |
2,241 |
|
1998 |
John Gaines |
814 |
Chris Barnes |
2,151 |
|
1999 |
Dan Winter |
825 |
Thomas Jones |
2,158 |
|
2000 |
Garran Hein |
811 |
Roy Daniels |
2,181 |
|
2001 |
Nicholas Hoagland |
798 |
D.J. Archer |
2,219 |
|
2002 |
Mark Millsap |
823 |
Stephen A. Hardy |
2,279 |
|
2003 |
Ron Bahr |
837 |
Steve Kloempken |
2,215 |
|
20041 |
John Janawicz |
858 |
John Janawicz |
2,224 |
|
2005 |
David Adam |
791 |
Scott Craddock |
2,131 |
|
2006 |
Wendy Macpherson |
812 |
Dave A. Mitchell |
2,189 |
|
2007 |
Frederick Aki |
814 |
Mike Rose, Jr. |
2,198 |
|
2008 |
Bryan Young |
832 |
Jay Futrell |
2,183 |
1Table shows American Bowling Congress winners through 2004 and USBC winners thereafter.
United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Women’s Bowling Championships—Classic Division
The championships have been held since 1916. The table shows results for the past 20 years.
|
YEAR |
SINGLES |
SCORE |
ALL-EVENTS |
SCORE |
|
1989 |
Laura Anderson |
683 |
Nancy Fehr |
1,911 |
|
1990 |
Paula Carter; Dana Miller-Mackie (tied) |
705 |
Carol Norman |
1,984 |
|
1991 |
Debbie Kuhn |
773 |
Debbie Kuhn |
2,036 |
|
1992 |
Patty Ann |
680 |
Mitsuko Tokimoto |
1,928 |
|
1993 |
Karen Collura; Kari Murph (tied) |
747 |
Anne Marie Duggan |
1,990 |
|
1994 |
Vicki Fifield |
716 |
Wendy Macpherson-Papanos |
1,940 |
|
1995 |
Beth Owen |
749 |
Beth Owen |
1,983 |
|
1996 |
Cindy Berlanga |
723 |
Lorrie Nichols |
1,985 |
|
1997 |
Jan Schmidt |
765 |
Kendra Cameron |
2,039 |
|
1998 |
Nellie Glandon |
714 |
Liz Johnson |
1,989 |
|
1999 |
Nikki Gianulias |
746 |
Hidemi Mizobuchi |
2,065 |
|
2000 |
Cathy Krasner |
729 |
Carolyn Dorin-Ballard |
2,147 |
|
2001 |
Lisa Wagner |
756 |
Jonquay Armon |
2,044 |
|
2002 |
Theresa Smith |
752 |
Cara Honeychurch |
2,150 |
|
2003 |
Michelle Feldman |
764 |
Michelle Feldman |
2,048 |
|
20041 |
Sharon Smith |
754 |
Kim Adler |
2,133 |
|
2005 |
Leanne Barrette |
774 |
Leanne Barrette |
2,231 |
|
2006 |
Karen Stroud |
771 |
Karen Stroud |
2,159 |
|
2007 |
Tiffany Stanbrough |
745 |
Wendy Macpherson |
2,161 |
|
2008 |
Corrine Ham |
736 |
Liz Johnson |
2,113 |
1Table shows Women’s International Bowling Congress winners through 2004 and USBC winners thereafter.
World Tenpin Bowling Championships—Men
In 1979 the singles category was added; previously, the masters had been the only individual event. Also in that year, eights were discontinued and trios were introduced.
|
YEAR |
SINGLES |
MASTERS |
DOUBLES |
TRI0S |
TEAM |
EIGHTS |
|
1954 |
|
Gosta Algeskog (SWE) |
FIN |
|
SWE |
SWE |
|
1955 |
|
Nisse Backstrom (SWE) |
SWE |
|
FRG |
FIN |
|
1958 |
|
Kalle Asukas (FIN) |
SWE |
|
FIN |
SWE |
|
1960 |
|
Tito Reynolds (MEX) |
MEX |
|
VEN |
MEX |
|
1963 |
|
Les Zikes (USA) |
USA |
|
USA |
USA |
|
1967 |
|
David Pond (GBR) |
GBR |
|
FIN |
USA |
|
1971 |
|
Ed Luther (USA) |
PUR |
|
USA |
USA |
|
1975 |
|
Bud Stoudt (USA) |
GBR |
|
FIN |
FRG |
|
1979 |
Ollie Ongtawco (PHI) |
Gary Bugden (GBR) |
AUS |
MAS |
AUS |
|
|
1983 |
Armando Marino (COL) |
Tony Cariello (USA) |
AUS |
SWE |
FIN |
|
|
YEAR |
SINGLES |
MASTERS |
DOUBLES |
TRI0S |
TEAM |
EIGHTS |
|
1987 |
Patrick Rolland (FRA) |
Roger Pieters (BEL) |
SWE |
USA |
SWE |
|
|
1991 |
Ying Chieh Ma (TPE) |
Mika Koivuniemi (FIN) |
USA |
USA |
TPE |
|
|
1995 |
Marc Doi (CAN) |
Chen-Min Yang (TPE) |
SWE |
NED |
NED |
|
|
1999 |
Gery Verbruggen (BEL) |
Ahmed Shaheen (QAT) |
SWE |
FIN |
SWE |
|
|
2003 |
Mika Luoto (FIN) |
Michael Little (AUS) |
SWE |
USA |
SWE |
|
|
2006 |
Remy Ong (SIN) |
Biboy Rivera (PHI) |
SWE |
KOR |
USA |
|
|
2008 |
Walter Ray Williams, Jr. (USA) |
Walter Ray Williams, Jr. (USA) |
USA |
KOR |
USA |
|
World Tenpin Bowling Championships—Women
In 1963 teams consisted of four women and were played European style (either the entire game on one lane or half of the game on one lane, balance on accompanying lane). In 1979 fours were discontinued and trios were introduced. Also in that year, the singles category was added; previously, the masters had been the only individual event.
|
YEAR |
SINGLES |
MASTERS |
DOUBLES |
TRIOS |
FOURS |
TEAM |
|
1963 |
|
Helen Shablis (USA) |
USA |
|
MEX |
USA |
|
1967 |
|
Helen Weston (USA) |
MEX |
|
FIN |
FIN |
|
1971 |
|
Ashie Gonzalez (PUR) |
JPN |
|
USA |
USA |
|
1975 |
|
Anne Haefker (FRG) |
SWE |
|
JPN |
JPN |
|
1979 |
Lita de la Rosa (PHI) |
Lita de la Rosa (PHI) |
PHI |
USA |
|
USA |
|
1983 |
Lena Sulkanen (SWE) |
Lena Sulkanen (SWE) |
DEN |
FRG |
|
SWE |
|
1987 |
Edda Piccini (MEX) |
Annette Hagre (SWE) |
USA |
USA |
|
USA |
|
1991 |
Martina Beckel (GER) |
Catherine Willis (CAN) |
JPN |
CAN |
|
KOR |
|
1995 |
Debby Ship (CAN) |
Celia Flores (MEX) |
THA |
AUS |
|
FIN |
|
1999 |
Kelly Kulick (USA) |
Ann-Maree Putney (AUS) |
AUS |
KOR |
|
KOR |
|
2003 |
Zara Glover (GBR) |
Diandra Hyman (USA) |
GBR |
PHI |
|
MAS |
|
2007 |
Shannon O’Keefe (USA) |
Diandra Asbaty (USA) |
KOR |
SWE |
|
MAS |
