The PBA World Championship is one of five major PBA (Professional Bowlers Association) bowling events. It is one of three PBA Tour major events that are open only to PBA members. (The U.S. Open and USBC Masters allow qualifying amateurs to enter.)

Prior to 2002, the tournament was called the PBA National Championship. The PBA National Championship was first contested on November 28, 1960, then called the First Annual National Championship; the winner was PBA Hall of Famer Don Carter. Tournament champions currently win the Earl Anthony Trophy, named in honor of the late PBA legend who won this title a record six times (1973–75 and 1981–83).[1] The World Championship has occasionally offered a $100,000 top prize, and as much as $150,000 in 2020.

Background

The National Championship and World Championship have been contested over the years using a variety of formats. Currently, the PBA World Championship format is different from normal PBA Tour events. Since the 2009–10 season, the initial qualifying scores for the World Championship have come from other stand-alone tournaments at the PBA World Series of Bowling, which celebrated its 13th anniversary in 2022. Thus, the current tournament is open to any PBA member who also enters the World Series of Bowling.

For the 2009–10 season, the PBA World Championship was part of the World Series of Bowling held in Allen Park, Michigan, and was contested in a split format. The qualifying rounds of the tournament were contested August 31 – September 4, with the televised finals being broadcast live on ESPN December 13, 2009.[2] The PBA's second World Series of Bowling in 2010 was contested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was again used as qualifying for the 2010–11 PBA World Championship. This time, the 60-game qualifying scores for the five "animal pattern" championships held at the World Series were used to determine the 8-bowler TV field for the PBA World Championship finals. The World Championship finals were televised live over three consecutive days (January 14–16, 2011), a PBA first.[3]

Currently (as of the 2021 WSOB XII), combined scores from the 30 games of qualifying (10 games each) on three different animal oil patterns determine the top 30 for the cashers round of the PBA World Championship. These 30 players then bowl ten more games (two five-game blocks) on the Earl Anthony 43 oil pattern, which is named after the six-time winner of this event. The cashers field is subsequently cut to 16 players for two eight-game, roundrobin match play rounds. Total pinfall from all 56 qualifying games, including 30 bonus pins for head-to-head match play wins, determines the five players that advance to the televised finals. The Earl Anthony 43 oil pattern is also used for the match play and championship rounds.[4]

World Champions

2023 event

The 2023 PBA World Championship was contested April 7–20 at Bowlero Wauwatosa in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a live televised stepladder final on April 23. The tournament had 117 entries and a $465,800 prize fund. The top 40 players cashed, with the champion earning $100,000.

Top seed E. J. Tackett defeated No. 4 seed Jason Belmonte 254–247 in the final match to claim his fifth PBA title and second major championship of the season. This was Tackett's 21st PBA Tour title, fourth major championship, and fifth title of the 2023 season.[5]

Match #1Match #2Match #3Championship Match
1E. J. Tackett254
2Anthony Simonsen2044Jason Belmonte247
3Jakob Butturff2044Jason Belmonte236
4Jason Belmonte2344Jason Belmonte223
5Santtu Tahvanainen230
  • Prize Pool:
1. E. J. Tackett (Bluffton, Indiana) – $100,000
2. Jason Belmonte (Orange, New South Wales, Australia) – $55,000
3. Anthony Simonsen (Las Vegas, Nevada) – $40,000
4. Jakob Butturff (Tempe, Arizona) – $30,000
5. Santtu Tahvanainen (Finland) – $25,000

Past winners

SeasonWinnerRunner-upChampionship match score
1960Don CarterRonnie Gaudern237.17–227.24
1961Dave SoutarMorrie Oppenheim212.02–208.19
1962Carmen SalvinoDon Carter193.29–193.10
1963Billy HardwickRay Bluth13541–13288
1964Bob StrampeRay Bluth13979–13721
1965Dave DavisJerry McCoy681–502
1966Wayne ZahnNelson Burton Jr.14006–13869
1967Dave DavisPete Tountas216–191
1968Wayne ZahnNelson Burton Jr.14182–13741
1969Mike McGrathBill Allen13670–13605
1970Mike McGrathDave Davis226–222
1971Mike LimongelloDave Davis207–202
1972Johnny GuentherDick Ritger12986–12889
1973Earl AnthonySam Flanagan212–189
1974Earl AnthonyMark Roth218–188
1975Earl AnthonyJim Frazier245–180
1976Paul ColwellDave Davis191–191 (49-48 in two frame roll-off)
1977Tommy HudsonJay Robinson206–200
1978Warren NelsonJoseph Groskind219–199
1979Mike AulbyEarl Anthony245–217
1980Johnny PetragliaGary Dickinson235–223
1981Earl AnthonyErnie Schlegel242–237
1982Earl AnthonyCharlie Tapp233–191
1983Earl AnthonyMike Durbin210–183
1984Bob ChamberlainDan Eberl219–191
1985Mike AulbySteve Cook253–211
1986Tom CritesMike Aulby190–184
1987Randy PedersenAmleto Monacelli233–222
1988Brian VossTodd Thompson246–185
1989Pete WeberDave Ferraro221–216
1990Jim PencakChris Warren223–214
1991Mike MillerNorm Duke218–214
1992Eric ForkelBob Vespi217–133
1993Ron Palombi Jr.Eugene McCune237–224
1994Dave TraberDale Traber196–187
1995Scott AlexanderWayne Webb246–210
1996Butch SoperWalter Ray Williams Jr.226–210
1997Rick SteelsmithBrian Voss218–190
1998Pete WeberDavid Ozio277–236
1999Tim CrissDave Arnold238–161
2000Norm DukeJason Couch214–198
2001Walter Ray Williams Jr.Jeff Lizzi258–204
2001–02Doug KentLonnie Waliczek215–160
2002–03Walter Ray Williams Jr.Brian Kretzer226–204
2003–04Tom BakerMika Koivuniemi246–239
2004–05Patrick AllenChris Loschetter235–210
2005–06Walter Ray Williams Jr.Pete Weber236–213
2006–07Doug KentChris Barnes237–216
2007–08Norm DukeRyan Shafer202–165
2008–09Norm DukeChris Barnes259–189
2009–10Tom SmallwoodWes Malott244–228
2010–11Chris BarnesBill O'Neill267–237
2011–12Osku PalermaaRyan Shafer203–177
2012–13+Parker Bohn IIIJason Belmonte254–227
2012–13+Dominic BarrettSean Rash238–235
2014Mike FaganWes Malott252–212
2015Gary Faulkner Jr.E. J. Tackett216–178
2016E. J. TackettTom Smallwood246–180
2017Jason BelmonteJesper Svensson238–225
2018Tournament not held in 2018[6]
2019Jason BelmonteJakob Butturff236–227
2020Jason BelmonteAnthony Simonsen213–190
2021Tom DaughertyJakob Butturff263–257
2022Kristopher PratherJason Sterner237–237 (10–6 in one-ball roll-off)
2023 E. J. Tackett Jason Belmonte 254–247

+ Due to the 2012–13 "Super Season" running from November 2012 to December 2013, there were two PBA World Championship events: one in November 2012 and one in November 2013.

References

  1. ↑ Schneider, Jerry (January 11, 2015). "Mike Fagan Wins PBA World Championship for Fifth Tour Title and Second Major". PBA. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ "FAQ's for the PBA World Series of Bowling". PBA. Archived from the original on 2009-04-02.
  3. ↑ Vint, Bill. "O'Neill Wins Top Berth for PBA World Championship." Article at www.pba.com on October 29, 2010.
  4. ↑ Dziomba, D (January 15, 2021). "PBA Announces First Half of the 2021 Tour Schedule on Fox". Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  5. ↑ "EJ Tackett Wins Fifth Title of Season at 2023 PBA World Championship presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon | PBA". www.pba.com. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  6. ↑ Vint, Bill (May 9, 2018). "PBA's 10th Anniversary World Series of Bowling Returns to Its Detroit Roots in March 2019". PBA. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
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