Shalin ready to roll in PBA Women’s Series
The Star Online : 30 October 2008
By Rajes Paul
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian bowling icon Shalin Zulkifli will savour every moment when she officially begins her touring professional career in the 2008-2009 PBA Women’s Series, which rolls off today with the Pepsi Viper Championships in Omaha, Nebraska.
And it does not come as a surprise that she has set a top 10 target even though it is her first outing on the pro Tour.
Shalin admitted that she had been going through a roller coaster of emotions.
“I am happy but I also feel nervous time to time. There had been sleepless nights. But this is certainly the moment that I have been waiting for. Above everything, I am more excited than anything else to start my pro Tour,” said Shalin in a telephone interview yesterday.
Indeed, it will be a proud moment for Shalin and the country. Shalin is only one of the 12 bowlers who advanced through the Tour trials via the US Women’s Open in August.
Four Americans — Diandra Asbaty, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Joy Esterson and Shannon Pluhowsky — received automatic berths after winning titles in the 2007-2008 Series.
Shalin was impressive during the Tour trials, finishing third overall in the US Women’s Open to become one of the best non-American performers in the pro event. The only other non-American in the Tour is Colombian Clara Guerrero.
The other American stars with Tour exempts are Tennelle Milligan, Adrienne Miller, Trisha Reid, Missy Bellinder, Stefanie Nation, Jen Pettrick, Jodi Woessner, Brenda Mack, Michelle Feldman and Shannon O’Keefe.
All 16 women involved in the Series will bowl 14 qualifying games today, seven in two blocks each. The top 10 will make the match play.
And to make it even more interesting, the top two women in the elimination round will have their match shown live on ESPN.
Shalin and the other pros stand a chance of winning US$10,000. The total prize money in the Series is US$51,100.
“It will be very challenging but I will be more than happy if I can make the first cut. This is my first pro event and I want to make it a memorable one,” she added.
