Everything You Need to Know About the 2025 PBA Players Championship
- Erikas Jansonas
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
The 2025 PBA Players Championship is just around the corner, and it promises to be one of the most exciting events of the season. Held at David Small’s JAX 60 in Jackson, Michigan, this major tournament kicks off the final stretch of the PBA Tour regular season. With a $100,000 top prize and major playoff implications, fans can expect high-level action and drama throughout the week.
What’s at Stake?
This is the first of two remaining major events of the season. It plays a big role in shaping the PBA Playoffs field and Tour Finals qualifications. Players will also be fighting for key points that could affect year-end awards like PBA Player of the Year... Eh, who are we kidding, it already belongs to EJ Tackett.
With two majors left, there's a lot of movement still possible. Jesper Svensson currently holds the final playoff spot, but several players like Kris Prather, Tomas Käyhkö, Tom Smallwood, and Justin Knowles are just behind him.
Big Names, Big Goals
All eyes will be on Bill O’Neill, the defending champion. He’s looking to win his third Players Championship, which would tie him with Jason Belmonte for the most wins in this event.
EJ Tackett is another top name to watch. Already having a standout season, he could win his third major of the year. A victory would give him eight career majors, tying legends Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Mike Aulby for fourth all-time.
We’ll also see some fresh faces in the mix. This season has already crowned five first-time champions, including Gary Haines, the recent USBC Masters winner.
Local Favorites and Rising Stars
Michigan bowlers Justin Knowles and Tom Smallwood are hoping to make a strong showing in their home state. Both had solid performances at the USBC Masters and will aim to carry that momentum into Jackson.
Other players just outside playoff and finals cut lines — like Graham Fach, Zach Wilkins, and Boog Krol — are hungry for a deep run.
How the Tournament Works
Oil Pattern: 37-foot Don Carter
Field: 171 players
Qualifying: 16 games across two days
Advancer Round: Top half of the field after qualifying
Cashers Round: 8 games to determine the top 16
Match Play: Round-robin
Championship Round:
Saturday: 5th–9th qualifiers battle in a stepladder on FS1
Sunday: The winner joins top 4 seeds in the final stepladder on FOX
Full Schedule – 2025 PBA Players Championship
All times Eastern
Tuesday, April 8 – BowlTV
10:00 a.m. – A-squad Qualifying Round 1 (8 games)
5:00 p.m. – B-squad Qualifying Round 1 (8 games)
Wednesday, April 9 – BowlTV
10:00 a.m. – B-squad Qualifying Round 2 (8 games)
5:00 p.m. – A-squad Qualifying Round 2 (8 games)
Thursday, April 10 – BowlTV
10:00 a.m. – Advancers Round (8 games)
6:00 p.m. – Cashers Round (8 games)
Friday, April 11 – BowlTV
11:00 a.m. – Match Play Round 1 (8 games)
6:00 p.m. – Match Play Round 2 (8 games)
Saturday, April 12 – FS1
7:00 p.m. – Prelims Stepladder Finals (5th–9th seeds)
Sunday, April 13 – FOX
12:00 p.m. – Championship Stepladder Finals (Top 4 seeds + prelims winner)
Stay tuned to BowlingLife.eu for daily updates, highlights, and reactions as the action unfolds in Jackson! Live action will be livestreamed on BowlTV.com. Results can be found here.
