The stage is set at Royal Pin Woodland in Indianapolis, where the 2024 U.S. Open is poised to reach its climax tonight at 9:30 PM CET.
After starting with108 bowlers on Monday, the 2024 U.S. Open is now down to the final five bowling players, featuring bowling's brightest stars - Anthony Simonsen, Jason Belmone, Kyle Troup, EJ Tacket and Bill O'Neill.
Many bowling analysts and fans already called the upcoming 2024 U.S. Open stepladder finals as the best and most brutal showdown of this generation.
Anthony Simonsen, at just 27 years old, is on the cusp of securing his sixth major title and aims to become the youngest bowler to achieve this feat. His impressive performance throughout the competition has earned him the No. 1 seed since the qualifying Round 3, setting the stage for a potential record-breaking victory.
The journey to the finals has been no less remarkable for the other contenders. Jason Belmonte initially found himself in 67th place after the first round of qualification. However, the PBA Tour’s all-time leader in major titles bounced back from this setback, securing the No. 2 seed. This puts him just two victories away from adding to his record with a 16th major championship and achieving the coveted double Super Slam. It's worth mentioning that Belmonte's first Super Slam was accomplished in 2020 when he triumphed over Simonsen in the 2020 U.S. Open championship match. The lingering question is: can he replicate this feat once again?
But the place in the championship match will have to be earned. Kyle Troup, the 2021 PBA Players Championship winner, maintained a consistent performance, securing a No. 3 spot on the U.S. Open TV show for the second consecutive year. Troup's focus and emotional control are set to be key factors as he eyes his second major victory.
Defending champion EJ Tackett and 2010 U.S. Open winner Bill O’Neill round out the top five seeds. Both faced challenges early in the tournament but showcased resilience and determination to make it to the stepladder finals. Tackett aims to be the first player since Dave Husted in 1995 and 1996 to successfully defed U.S. Open champion title, while Bill O'Neill, who almost missed the fist cut after the innitial 24 games, but made the show either way, already knows the sweet taste of the victory this year, as he won the season-opening PBA Players Championship on January 15.
Eight European bowling flag bearers were competing in the U.S. Open this year. Two of them successfully made it to the matchplay round, where Dominic Barret finished 7th, and Richard Teece - 22nd.
The total prize fund for the U.S. Open 2024 is $297,250.
The 2024 U.S. Open stepladder finals wil be broadcasted on FOX, starting at 9:30 PM CET. Follow results of the 2024 U.S. Open here.
