The 22-year-old Alex Horton claimed his second PBA Tour title of the season by winning the PBA Shark Championship, the fourth and final animal pattern event of the PBA World Series of Bowling XVII.
In the Race-to-Two championship match, Horton defeated No. 1 seed Ronnie Russell 2-0 to take the title.
Horton controlled Game 1 and opened the final with a 221-208 win. Game 2 was much tighter, with both players staying close until the final frame.
Horton had a chance to shut the door in the 10th frame, needing a double and count to close out the match. He got the first strike, but then left a stone 8 pin on the second shot, giving Russell a chance to tie the game and force a roll-off.
Russell could not take advantage, and Horton finished the match with a 214-206 win to complete the sweep.
The victory marked Horton’s second PBA Tour title of the season. His first came on April 27, when he won the PBA Tournament of Champions by defeating Canada’s Zach Wilkins in the title match.
For the victory, Alex Horton also earned $20,000.
With the Shark Championship win, Horton joins Wilkins as the only players with multiple PBA Tour titles this season.
Wilkins won the PBA Scorpion Championship on Monday and also captured the Roth/Holman Doubles Championship title with AJ Chapman.
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The PBA Shark Championship was the final animal pattern title event of WSOB XVII.
Packy Hanrahan won the opening event, the PBA Cheetah Championship, by defeating Matt Sanders 2-0 in the Race-to-Two title match.
Darren Tang then won the PBA Chameleon Championship on Sunday, becoming the first player in PBA history to win PBA Tour titles both one-handed and two-handed.
The PBA Tour will now take a short break before returning for the PBA World Championship finals on June 12-13. EJ Tackett will enter as the No. 1 seed, still looking for his first title of the season and a chance to strengthen his case for another Player of the Year award.
Match Results
Round of 12
Tommy Jones def. Packy Hanrahan, 213-199
EJ Tackett def. Mitch Hupé, 212-168
Hayden Stippich def. Kyle Sherman, 237-235
Alex Horton def. Tobias Börding, 245-206
Quarterfinals
Ronnie Russell def. Tommy Jones, 250-201
EJ Tackett def. Brandon Bonta, 213-190
Patrick Dombrowski def. Hayden Stippich, 214-204
Alex Horton def. Chris Via, 257-244
Semifinals
Ronnie Russell def. EJ Tackett, 254-217
Alex Horton def. Patrick Dombrowski, 233-223
Championship Match
Game 1: Horton def. Russell, 221-208
Game 2: Horton def. Russell, 214-206
PBA World Series of Bowling XVII Schedule
Friday, June 12 - Thunderbowl Lanes
PBA World Championship practice
Saturday, June 13 - Thunderbowl Lanes
11 a.m. ET - PBA World Championship semifinals on CBS Sports Network
1 p.m. ET - PBA World Championship finals on CBS and Paramount+
