LAS VEGAS - With the all-events gold medal already securely around her neck, Colombia's Clara Guerrero was confident and relaxed when she took to the lanes for the Masters competition at the 2009 World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women's Championships on Sunday.


Admittedly, she may have been a little too relaxed to start, but after dropping the first two games of her opening match against Malaysia's Siti Safiyah Amirah, Guerrero refocused and went on tear that ended with her claiming the Masters gold medal as well.


Guerrero went on to defeat Amirah 3-2 in her first best-of-five match and added wins against Indonesia's Putty Armein (3-1), Korea's Son Yun-Hee (3-0) and Son's teammate Hwang Sun-Ok, 3-2, in the championship match at Cashman Center.


With the final match tied at 2-2 and the two players just pins apart heading into the ninth frame, Hwang left an 8-10 split that turned out to be the difference. Guerrero then stepped up and struck on her first ball in the 10th frame to lock up the victory.


"Last night, I felt really relieved and excited because I had won all-events, and this morning, I just wanted to come in and throw good shots," said Guerrero, who won the all-events title with a 5,330 total for 24 games, an average of 222.1. "I may have been a little too relaxed this morning, and today ended up being quite a roller coaster ride."


In her semifinal win over Son, Guerrero rolled games of 248, 268 and 289 for an 805 series, the highest three-game set in WTBA World Women's Championships history. Team USA's Diandra Asbaty, the 2007 Masters gold medalist, previously held the record with 787, rolled at the 2003 Women's World Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


Overall, it was a good week for the Korean bowlers, who along with the silver and bronze medals in Masters, claimed gold and bronze in doubles (Hwang and Gang Hye-Eun and Hong Su-Yeon and Son, respectively), and gold in team with a win over Team USA on Saturday night.


Team USA also fared well this year with a gold medal in singles (five-time Team USA member Stefanie Nation), silver in trios (Nation, Liz Johnson and first-time participant Carolyn Dorin-Ballard), silver in team (Nation, Johnson, Dorin-Ballard, Kim Terrell-Kearney, Wendy Macpherson and 12-time Team USA member Lynda Barnes) and bronze in all-events (Dorin-Ballard).


"I didn't even know there was an all-events," said Dorin-Ballard, a USBC Hall of Famer. "I bowl every day like it's a new tournament, and this week, we were geared more toward the doubles, trios and team event, rather than the individual events. All together, I think it was an awesome experience. We started slowly and wound up bowling fabulous. This is probably the most memorable bowling experience I've ever had."


This year's tournament marked the first time professionals were allowed to compete at the World Women's Championships, and competitors from 45 countries competed in singles, doubles, trios and team. The Masters competition included the top 16 players in the all-events standings.
From here, the women now will focus their attention on the upcoming U.S. Women's Open, which will be held at the nearby Sunset Station Casino beginning Tuesday.


"I feel really good right now, and I think I'm bowling the best I ever have," said Guerrero who was one of three international players to make the top 16 at the 2008 U.S. Women's Open. "I am a little more confident after this week, but each tournament is different. I just plan to stay focused and continue to rely on the things I've learned."

2009 WTBA WORLD WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS (at Cashman Center, Las Vegas)
Sunday's Results

MASTERS (Best-of-five, single-elimination match play)
Gold medal: Clara Guerrero, Colombia
Silver medal: Hwang Sun-Ok, Korea
Bronze medal: Son Yun-Hee, Korea and Gang Hye-Korea


First Round
(1) Clara Guerrero, Colombia def. (16) Siti Safiyah Amirah, 3-2
(186-187, 189-212, 248-181, 227-199, 262-215)
(15) Putty Armein, Indonesia def. (2) Helen Johnsson, Sweden, 3-1
(190-166, 214-206, 164-202, 217-190)
(14) Son Yun-Hee, Korea def. (3) Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, United States, 3-1
(249-247, 173-236, 222-176, 258-203)
(4) Rikke Rasmussen, Denmark def. (13) Cherie Tan, Singapore, 3-2
(246-263, 212-204, 210-208, 176-191, 244-177)
(12) Liz Johnson, United States def. (5) Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 3-1
(215-181, 174-188, 243-215, 222-206)
(11) Gang Hye-Eun, Korea def. (6) Krista Pollanen, Finland, 3-2
(204-194, 196-231, 220-170, 203-255, 277-175)
(7) Hwang Sun-Ok, Korea def. (10) Stefanie Nation, United States, 3-0
(223-213, 245-188, 248-193)
(9) Jeon Eun-Hee, Korea def. (8) Maki Nakano, Japan, 3-1
(224-247, 234-221, 277-164, 215-193)


Quarterfinals
(1) Clara Guerrero, Colombia def. (15) Putty Armein, Indonesia, 3-1
(214-164, 175-245, 279-194, 209-199)
(14) Son Yun-Hee, Korea def. (4) Rikke Rasmussen, Denmark, 3-0
(267-179, 226-222, 269-224)
(7) Hwang Sun-Ok, Korea def. (12) Liz Johnson, United States, 3-0
(264-258, 258-213, 226-214)
(11) Gang Hye-Eun, Korea def. (9) Jeon Eun-Hee, Korea, 3-1
(225-187, 255-181, 136-225, 237-208)


Semifinals
(1) Clara Guerrero, Colombia def. (14) Son Yun-Hee, Korea, 3-0
(248-227, 268-216, 289-238)
(7) Hwang Sun-Ok, Korea def. (11) Gang Hye-Eun, Korea, 3-1
(211-213, 212-190, 257-238, 230-194)

Finals
(1) Clara Guerrero, Colombia def. (7) Hwang Sun-Ok, Korea, 3-2
(205-185, 204-263, 169-257, 197-192, 203-182)