Bowling for Dollars Is Up Their Alley

Three months and more than 50,000 competitors later, payday may have finally arrived.

During the 90-day period that ends Tuesday, 51,261 women will have passed through two bowling alleys in Orange County. They have come from as far as Canada to take place in the largest--and most lucrative--women’s professional bowling tournament in the world.

The Women’s International Bowling Congress, the governing body of the sport, is sponsoring its 67th tournament. More than $1 million in prize money will be distributed in three divisions of competition held at Tustin Lanes in Tustin and New Kona Lanes in Costa Mesa.

The format of the tournament is unusual. Each bowler rolls three games in three separate competitions--singles, doubles and team--for a total of nine games to establish a tournament score.

With less than a week left, two bowlers from the Valley area stand to finish in the money. Robin Romeo of Sepulveda is the leader in the all-events competition, a total of her nine games. If her 1,877 score stands up, Romeo will earn $1,400.

In the team competition, five friendly college rivals, led by Lauren Takahashi of Canoga Park, are in second place with a 2,824 team score.

“Even though we were on different teams in college, we all got along with each other,” Takahashi said. “So we knew the chemistry would be there.

“And we always thought we’d make a good college all-star team, which is what we put together.”

Takahashi, who bowled at UCLA, is joined by Therese Abair from Cal State Fullerton, Lori Williams from San Diego Mesa College, Kim Terrell of San Jose State and Marianne Fu of Cal.

They didn’t expect to get this far.

“Not at first we didn’t,” Takahashi said. “But once we saw the scores that were being posted, we knew we had a chance. We all bowled very consistently and we wound up in first place--for a day.”

And payday is finally drawing near.