BOWLING U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN : Duggan Feels ‘Comfortable’ at Fountain Bowl

FOUNTAIN VALLEY — Anne Marie Duggan returned to the scene of her greatest bowling triumph Tuesday.

On the lanes at Fountain Bowl, the La Habra champion tossed strikes and spares in an exhibition to promote the defense of her title in the $100,000 U.S. Women’s Open Feb. 23-March 1.

“I like these lanes,” she said. “I feel comfortable on them and practice here every chance I get.”

Duggan, who graduated from Kennedy High School in 1980, pulled one of the bowling upsets of 1991 at Fountain Bowl. She was far off the lead and seemingly out of it after opening day in the field of 244 bowlers.

But five days later, she had climbed to fifth and gained the last available spot for the five-woman final and ended up winning the event.

Duggan did not win another event last year.

“But I’m not in a slump,” she said. “In fact, two runner-up finishes on the pro tour (in Denver and Rockford, Ill.) and more recently a third at Hammond (Ind.) give me the feeling that I’m gaining momentum and ready to win again.”

She has won four titles in nine years of pro bowling.

Two-time Open champion Donna Adamek of Apple Valley, Minn., and Oklahoma’s Leanne Barrette joined Duggan in Tuesday’s exhibition, highlighted by Adamek’s string of eight strikes.

The U.S. Open field will include 144 professionals and 97 non-professional state qualifiers from across the country. The winner will bowl 60 games over six days--a long road to the $18,000 first prize.