Najah Owens Clinches First PWBA Title at Pinehurst Regional

A Dream Realized for Owens

For years, friends and fellow bowlers encouraged Najah Owens of Raleigh, North Carolina, to step up to the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour. Though intrigued, the 29-year-old right-hander took a measured approach, preferring to test the waters before diving in.

On Sunday, July 16, 2023, Owens made her biggest splash yet—leading the 59-player field in qualifying and then defeating Kerry Smith of Lititz, Pennsylvania, 212-201 in the stepladder finals. With this victory at the 2023 PWBA Pinehurst Regional, held at Sandhills Bowling Center, Owens claimed her first career PWBA title and secured a $1,700 prize. More importantly, she earned a coveted spot in the season-ending PWBA Regional Showdown, set for December 7-9 at Aloma Bowl in Winter Park, Florida.

A Hard-Fought Championship Battle

Owens’ opponent in the final, Kerry Smith, was seeking her second career PWBA Regional title after winning the 2022 PWBA Twin Cities Regional. Smith earned $850 for her runner-up finish.

Owens displayed remarkable composure throughout the title match, making clutch doubles in the fourth and fifth frames and again in the seventh and eighth to keep Smith at bay. The decisive moment came in the final frame, where Owens needed a spare to secure at least a tie. She converted, locking in her 212 total and forcing Smith into a pressure-filled scenario—she needed three consecutive strikes to tie and force a roll-off.

Smith delivered on the first shot but fell short on the second, knocking down only nine pins. With that, Owens officially clinched her first-ever PWBA title.

Owens’ Path to Victory

Despite her ultimate success, Owens never entered the tournament with a title in mind.

“All I wanted to do today was execute,” Owens said. “I didn’t care about where I finished as long as I knew that I threw great shots. I just wanted to let the ball do the work and make my spares, and I was able to do that.”

That steady approach led Owens to the top seed after qualifying, posting an eight-game total of 1,581 (a 197.63 average) on the challenging 42-foot Pinehurst Regional oil pattern.

• Summer Jasmin of Beckley, West Virginia (1,566) finished second in qualifying.
• Kerry Smith (1,539) placed third.
• Amber MacLeod of Conway, South Carolina (1,524) claimed the fourth and final stepladder spot.

Smith advanced to the finals after defeating MacLeod, 216-144, in the opening stepladder match. She then took down Jasmin, 224-205, to set up the showdown with Owens.

The Road to the Regional Showdown

Owens and other 2023 PWBA Regional champions have now secured spots in match play at the PWBA Regional Showdown. The remaining positions in the 16-player field will be determined by an eight-game qualifying round, open to all PWBA Regional-eligible bowlers.

Once the field is set, the top 16 will battle in round-robin match play, with the final four bowlers advancing to the stepladder finals.

Every player reaching match play will earn a cash prize, with additional payouts awarded based on entry numbers. The Regional Showdown champion will not only win a cash prize but will also receive entry fees covered for all 2024 PWBA National Tour singles events—an opportunity that excites Owens.

“I’ve had people around me who have helped me get to this point, and they all believed in me,” Owens said. “I’m finally believing in myself, and now to know that the possibility of bowling full-time on the PWBA Tour could become available just seems crazy.”

What’s Next?

The next stop on the PWBA Regional schedule is the PWBA Greater Pittsburgh Regional on July 22 at Nesbit’s Lanes in Pittsburgh.

With newfound confidence and momentum, Najah Owens will now set her sights on proving she belongs on bowling’s biggest stage.

Final Results – 2023 PWBA Pinehurst Regional

🏆 Champion: Najah Owens ($1,700)
🥈 Runner-Up: Kerry Smith ($850)
🥉 3rd Place: Summer Jasmin ($700)
🏅 4th Place: Amber MacLeod ($525)