BOWLING : Duggan Charges Through Field, Beats Barrette for Title

Leanne Barrette’s runaway in the U.S. Women’s Bowling Open ended abruptly in the 60th and final game of the six-day marathon Thursday at Fountain Bowl in Fountain Valley.

Needing a mark to win the most prestigious event in women’s bowling, Anne Marie Duggan of La Habra struck, then spared and the $16,000 first prize in the $100,000 tournament was hers.

The score in the title decider was 196-185, the lowest in the four-game stepladder playoff.

Duggan came all the way from the No. 5 seeded position before beating Barrette, who set a 56-game tournament scoring record in earning the top seeding.

“I was very nervous meeting Leanne,” Duggan said. “Neither of us were getting strikes. Leanne is such a great bowler. I kept telling myself to hold on, take deep breaths before shots. Somehow, I survived.”

In the first match, Duggan started with four strikes and beat Cheryl McDaniels of Detroit, 219-195. Duggan had nine strikes in the opener.

The Orange County All-American next then beat Sandra Jo Shiery of Coldwater, Mich. After both opened with splits and were tied at a lowly 48 for three frames, Duggan rolled seven strikes in a row and won, 247-235.

Jeanne Maiden of Tacoma doubled with a pair of strikes for an early lead in the third match, but Duggan reeled off six strikes in a row to assume command. When Maiden struck out for a 236, Duggan needed to mark out in the 10th frame--and that she did with a strike and a spare for a 244 winner.