Norm Duke, Liz Johnson earn BWAA Bowler of the Year honors
02/26/10
Norm Duke (pictured left) and Liz Johnson (right) have been chosen as the best bowlers of the calendar year 2009 by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA).
For Duke, it is back-to-back crowns, as he also won in 2008, and it is his fourth overall (1994, 2000) Johnson's 2009 award was her third, and her best performances are coming in odd years. She also won in 2005 and 2007.
In 2009, Duke won three professional titles, bringing his career total to 33. Johnson also won three times, capturing the PBA Women's Viper Championship and the USBC Queens. Duke won the PBA Dick Weber Open and the Cheetah Championship. Together, Duke and Johnson won the 2009 PBA Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship.
It was a stellar earnings year for both players. Duke earned $174,285 in event prize money, and in spite of not having a women's tour to bowl in, Johnson earned a very respectable $88.000 in PBA and USBC competition.
BWAA began presenting the men's award in 1942, and the women's in 1948. The winners are chosen each year by active BWAA members using a point system based on performance. In 2009, Duke edged Wes Malott, 57-23, while Johnson won handily over Kelly Kulick, 105-43.
BWAA Awards
Norm Duke (pictured left) and Liz Johnson (right) have been chosen as the best bowlers of the calendar year 2009 by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA).For Duke, it is back-to-back crowns, as he also won in 2008, and it is his fourth overall (1994, 2000) Johnson's 2009 award was her third, and her best performances are coming in odd years. She also won in 2005 and 2007.
In 2009, Duke won three professional titles, bringing his career total to 33. Johnson also won three times, capturing the PBA Women's Viper Championship and the USBC Queens. Duke won the PBA Dick Weber Open and the Cheetah Championship. Together, Duke and Johnson won the 2009 PBA Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship.
It was a stellar earnings year for both players. Duke earned $174,285 in event prize money, and in spite of not having a women's tour to bowl in, Johnson earned a very respectable $88.000 in PBA and USBC competition.
BWAA began presenting the men's award in 1942, and the women's in 1948. The winners are chosen each year by active BWAA members using a point system based on performance. In 2009, Duke edged Wes Malott, 57-23, while Johnson won handily over Kelly Kulick, 105-43.
Â