Women’s bowling: Josie Lindsey breaks the tie to win second Masters title

The Women’s Masters Bowling Tournament dates back to 1972 in Princeton and there has never been a tie before.

Until now.

After 20 games, Josie Lindsey and Katie Gerrard finished in a tie in this year’s 52nd annual tournament at Pin Splitters Lanes, both with 92.10 Peterson Points.

They went to a one-game bowl-off with Lindsey rolling a 206 to upend Gerrard (157), a former champion, to claim her second Master’s crown in four years.

“It was nerve wrecking. I don’t know how (a tie) was possible,” Lindsey said. “I’ve never been in that situation. I won Masters in 2021, but it was not like this. I just turned 60 and I’m bowling with these young girls. It’s like, ‘Ok, let me do it for the seniors.’”

Both Lindsey and Gerrard have bowled together in their hometown Kewanee, which no longer has a bowling alley.

“I’ve been bowling with Katie since she got out of high school,” Lindsey said.

Danielle Hoopes (90.23) finished third, Melinda Camp (89.0) was fourth and defending champ Ashley Hensley (83.06) was fifth.

Lindsey won the Masters in her first year in 2021, but has not bowled in it since the passing of her husband, Terry, almost two years ago. She has been wintering in Texas the past two years, but returned to her home in Kewanee this year.

“It was hard to be there, because he was my biggest fan,” Lindsey said. “The last two years I was not wanting to bowl.”

She appreciated all the support from the ladies in the tournament, because she was not able to have any family members there on a regular basis. She said her son, Juan, was watching the live feed and cheering her on from Fort Knox in Kentucky.

She said her son joked that she should retire while she’s on top.

Lindsey (87.17) led a tight field after 19 games going into the position round by only 0.07 points over Hoopes (87.10) with only 1.95 points separating the top four, including Gerrard (86.02) and Camp (85.22).

“Any one of the four could have won it,” board member Anna Flaig said.

Lindsey also won the Darlene Shepard Sportsmanship Award and was very proud of that honor.

“That is the most important award to win really, because the women are voting for you. That does mean a lot,” she said. “I love to bowl with these ladies, because they’re so much fun. I go out there to have fun.”