The medalists in the Doubles event at the 2015 Women's World Championships:
From top right, counterclockwise United States (gold), Korea (silver), Singapore and Denmark (both bronze).

 

For the third event in a row, the top seed emerged as the winner at the Women's World Championships in Abu Dhabi when Team USA's Danielle McEwan and Kelly Kulick (pictured left, r-l) turned in a super class performance in the last frame to successfully defend the title in Doubles Thursday at Khalifa International Bowling Center in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Heading into the 10th frame on the short oil pattern (36 ft. Los Angeles) Trios World Champion Son Hyerin and Singles World Champion Jeon Eunhee (right, l-r) held a 15-pin lead and were targeting the third gold medal for Korea in as many events.

However, lead-off bowler Hyerin needed a strike on her first shot to keep the destiny in their own hands. She left a 7-pin instead while on the USA side, McEwan doubled and finished with a nine-count for a 43-pin advantage over Hyerin, 247-204.

Eunhee was on course for 279 (she sandwiched a single-pin spare between two four-baggers) while Kulick needed a double and an eight count to shut her out. Kulick got the first strike and when Eunhee failed to strike on her first ball, the match was over.

Kulick added two more strikes for 239 while Eunhee went 9-spare and 9 for 257 to win the match and the gold medal, 486 to 461.

For the first time in this Championships the title match was not Korea vs. Singapore as the Americans sidelined two-time silver medalists Cherie Tan and Shayna Ng (left, l-r) from Singapore, who were making their third consecutive medal round appearance, 453-412. Kulick sealed the victory with a double and a nine-count in the 10th frame.

In the other semi-final match the Koreans, seeded third, eliminated No. 2 seed Britt Brøndsted and reigning European Doubles champion Mai Ginge Jensen (right, l-r) with a pair of 220-plus games, 444-422.

The Koreans received the silver medal while Singapore and Denmark shared the bronze medal. Eunhee, who rolled games of 266 and 279 on her way to the Singles title and 224 and 257 today, is averaging 256.60 in front of the live stream cameras from BowlTV.

Team USA's Stefanie Johnson and Shannon O'Keefe were the defending world champions in the doubles event but finished 39th in this year. Action shifts to the five-player Team event on Friday and Saturday.