LAS VEGAS - When the 2009 U.S. Women's Open, a United States Bowling Congress event, kicks off at Sunset Station Hotel and Casino in Henderson, Nev., on Tuesday, the tournament will have more of an international flavor than in recent years.

Thanks to the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships, which concluded it's six-day run at nearby Cashman Center on Sunday, more than 50 international competitors have decided to spend the extra week in Las Vegas and take a shot at the U.S. Open's $25,000 top prize.

Last year, Australia's Maxine Nable, Colombia's Clara Guerrero and Malaysia's Shalin Zulkifli all finished in the top 16 and found themselves competing on American television as part of the tournament's five-week presence on ESPN.

This year, the U.S. Women's Open will feature an exciting new format with the top 12 players advancing to the five-part ESPN series.

"I think it will be nice to have so many different countries participating, and it can only be a good thing," Nable said. "It's also nice, especially for all of the people who don't bowl full-time, to be able to come and bowl a number of events in one trip."

All U.S. Women's Open participants this year will bowl three eight-game qualifying blocks over three days (Aug. 4-6) before the field is cut to the top 25 percent, who will bowl an additional 16 games on Aug. 7. The top 12 players then advance to the televised, single-game, match-play portion with the top four players receiving a first-round bye directly into the quarterfinals.

The U.S. Women's Open, which has an entry fee of $350, is open to any USBC female member and features a prize fund of $150,000.

Any competitor who rolls a 300 game on one of the first four TV shows will receive a $25,000 bonus, while a perfect game in the semifinals or championship match (the fifth show), will earn $100,000.

For Guerrero, who lives in Texas, and Zulkifli, last year's tournament also offered a second opportunity with the Professional Bowlers Association Women's Tour Trials, a simultaneous event that gave the bowlers a chance to qualify for the seven-event PBA Women's Series.

This option again will be available in 2009. The top 12 bowlers from the Tour Trials will join the six champions from last season as exempt players for the 2009-10 PBA Women's Series.

The upcoming Women's Series will feature five standard events, the open-field PBA Women's World Championship, the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship and the season-ending PBA Women's Series Showdown. Each standard event will have a 20-player field, up from the 16-player field used this season. The final two players in the field will come from the weekly Tour Qualifying Rounds, similar to the PBA Tour.

In all, women will be competing for nearly $500,000 in prize money with $10,000 going to the winner of each event.

"Last year, I would've qualified for the Women's Series, and it ended up being a missed opportunity," Nable said. "This time, I'm at least going to give myself a chance to qualify and see what happens."

Kim Terrell-Kearney is the defending champion at the U.S. Women's Open and will be looking to claim the coveted title for the third time. She also won the event in 2001.

For more information on the U.S. Women's Open, visit bowl.com.