The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) has released results from its public survey on urethane bowling balls, revealing that a majority of respondents support some form of change to how urethane is used in certified competition. The one-question survey, distributed via email andsocial media, collected 20,943 responses. USBC used multiple channels to segment responses by audience group, including tournament participants, league bowlers, and the general bowling public. social media social media , According to USBC urethane survey, 57.32% of respondents supported some kind of change regarding urethane governance. Among them, 36.61% favored a full ban on urethane balls in all USBC-certified competitions. 17.63% preferred tighter specifications such as a minimum hardness of 78D, while 3.08% supported restricting urethane only in national tournaments. 57.32% By contrast, 38.67% of respondents preferred to keep current rules, and 4% said the issue did not concern them. While no final decision has been made, USBC stated that the results point toward the need for new governance. The Equipment Specifications Committee will now review all feedback and determine a recommendation, that may include changes to national tournament rules - such as removing certain high-performance urethane balls from national events - or increasing the manufacturing hardness standard for urethane balls going forward. In the USBC urethane survey results, USBC made it clear that no changes are currently being considered for local leagues or tournaments that choose to allow urethane. USBC is also not considering any changes that would justify a return or refund for any bowling ball. For clarification, USBC referenced existing definitions in the Equipment Specifications Manual. Only high-performance urethane bowling balls would be considered for removal from national tournaments. Non-high-performance balls are not expected to be affected by any changes under discussion. Examples of potentially impacted high-performance urethane balls include: Storm Pitch BlackStorm IQ Tour 78/UHammer Purple PearlHammer Black Hammer 78D Storm Pitch Black Storm IQ Tour 78/U Hammer Purple Pearl Hammer Black Hammer 78D Examples of high-performance balls not under consideration: NU Blue HammerStorm LevelMotiv Tank Yellowjacket NU Blue Hammer Storm Level Motiv Tank Yellowjacket Non-high-performance balls not affected: Storm MixHammer AxeMotiv Sniper Storm Mix Hammer Axe Motiv Sniper USBC emphasized that this list is not exhaustive but meant to illustrate the types of urethane equipment currently under review. Full USBC Urethane Survey Results Full USBC Urethane Survey Results The Equipment Specifications Committee is expected to meet in late August or early September 2025. As a reminder, on July 23, USBC released an official statement expressing increasing concerns about the ongoing use of urethane bowling balls in certified competition. As a reminder, on July 23, USBC released an official statement expressing increasing concerns about the ongoing use of urethane bowling balls in certified competition. As a reminder, on July 23, USBC released an official statement expressing increasing concerns about the ongoing use of urethane bowling balls in certified competition.

Is USBC banning urethane bowling balls? In this episode, we break down the facts, rumors, and hidden reasons behind the potential ban. From lane integrity to player development, and from manufacturer pressure to community backlash - this could change the game as we know it. We cover the official USBC statement, explore what’s being said behind the scenes, and ask: is this really about fairness... or something bigger? Tune in the latest episode!

Chris Via and Bryanna Coté claimed the title at the 25th anniversary edition of the Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, held at Copperfield Bowl in Houston. After finishing qualifying in 22nd place, the pair surged during match play and secured the top spot heading into the final game. With a total pinfall of 10,416 (+1,216) over 46 combined games, they held a comfortable lead of 260 pins over Kyle Troup and Liz Johnson, who finished in second with +1,042. Latest win marked Coté’s sixth PWBA title and Via’s second PBA title. For the win they were awarded with $25,000. Via also rolled the only two 300 games of the tournament and donated both $300 bonuses to the Striking Against Breast Cancer foundation. Last year's champions Anthony Simonsen and Danielle McEwan finished in 22nd. Last year's champions Last year's champions The final PBA title event of the season will be the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Helsingborg, Sweden, while the PWBA season wraps in August with Championship Week in Rochester, New York. Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Helsingborg, Sweden Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Helsingborg, Sweden Championship Week in Rochester, New York Championship Week in Rochester, New York Top 5 Final Standings: Top 5 Final Standings: Chris Via / Bryanna Coté – 10,416 (+1,216)Kyle Troup / Liz Johnson – 10,242 (+1,042)Darren Tang / Sin Li Jane – 10,039 (+839)Andrew Anderson / Erin McCarthy – 9,952 (+752)Tommy Jones / Shannon Pluhowsky – 9,918 (+718) Chris Via / Bryanna Coté – 10,416 (+1,216) Kyle Troup / Liz Johnson – 10,242 (+1,042) Darren Tang / Sin Li Jane – 10,039 (+839) Andrew Anderson / Erin McCarthy – 9,952 (+752) Tommy Jones / Shannon Pluhowsky – 9,918 (+718)

Following USBC’s recent announcement that it is in advanced talks about a potential ban on urethane bowling balls, 32-time PBA Tour title winner, including 15 majors, Jason Belmonte stepped forward to share his views on social media. USBC’s recent announcement USBC’s recent announcement advanced talks about a potential ban on urethane bowling balls advanced talks about a potential ban on urethane bowling balls In a public post on Facebook, Belmonte urged the bowling community and governing bodies to look beyond urethane as the core issue. Instead, he pointed to the environment as the real driver behind the ball's widespread use. post on Facebook post on Facebook “Urethane isn’t our biggest problem - it’s the environments we create that reward its dominant use,” Belmonte wrote. “Bowlers should always use the ball that gives them the best motion for the pattern they’re on. That’s the name of the game. If urethane is dominantly used, it’s because the environment rewards it.” In Belmo's view, the sport should focus on education and lane pattern design that encourages variety - not restrictions. We already accept that different oil patterns challenge different styles and equipment use - short oil, long oil, flat, blended. We don’t ban the implementation of some patterns because they’re hard for some or because certain type balls don’t roll so well on those patterns. We expect bowlers to adjust, learn, and improve," Belmonte added. "Why can’t we take the same approach with urethane? Rather than banning a ball type, let’s use pattern design and education to promote variety. There should be nothing wrong with ‘some of the time’ a urethane ball be effective. He also addressed concerns about competitive fairness and legality. Some critics of urethane worry that certain models soften below legal limits over time. Belmonte acknowledged those concerns and encouraged stronger enforcement, production oversight, and possible updates to urethane specifications. "I believe this is where our governing body needs to step up and create better ways to enforce the legality and work with manufacturers to ensure these issues are no longer happening at production," Belmonte said. "Perhaps further spec changes can be addressed?" Belmonte emphasized that banning entire categories of equipment could set a dangerous precedent. "If we design environments that naturally limit the effectiveness of urethane - some of the time - we will encourage players to explore other options when the environment isn’t fit for it. Because once we start banning whole genres of equipment, where does it stop? If plastic becomes too effective, is that next? What about a new reactive formula? Or a style someone doesn’t like?" Finally, Belmonte pushed back against the claim that legal urethane stunts youth development. Instead, he argued that learning how to use urethane effectively is a skill in itself - and that bowlers should be encouraged to master all tools available. "We should be developing the sport, not shrinking it. Fairness doesn’t mean limiting choice. It means creating a playing field where all tools and styles can exist - and succeed - depending on how well they’re used. This is nearly completely based on the environment we create!"

Following a public statement from the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) confirming that it is in advanced talks to ban urethane bowling balls in certified competition, reactions have started to come out from within the bowling community. public statement public statement in advanced talks to ban urethane bowling balls in advanced talks to ban urethane bowling balls Brunswick, one of the leading bowling equipment manufacturers, confirmed it has been in contact with USBC since April regarding potential changes to ball specifications. These discussions are part of USBC’s wider review process, which includes input from technical experts, manufacturers, and stakeholders. In an interview with Erikas Jansonas from BowlingLife, Jordan Vanover, VP International at Brunswick Bowling Products, LLC, said the company has been in ongoing discussions with USBC in recent months, actively sharing feedback and addressing the concerns raised by the organization. “USBC contacted us in late April requesting feedback on potential changes to bowling ball specifications, and we have maintained open communications with the USBC over the past few months,” Mr. Vanover said “We have listened to the USBC concerns and had the opportunity to share our thoughts and ideas.” In those imput exchanges, Brunswick made it clear that it does not support a ban on urethane. The company believes urethane balls play an important role for many bowlers, especially in more demanding lane conditions. “We do not agree with the idea of banning urethane balls,” Vanover stated. “These balls are an important tool for many bowlers who use them to achieve more controllable ball motion on challenging lane patterns.” Brunswick’s product lineup includes several urethane balls under its umbrella, including the most popular one - Hammer’s Purple Pearl Urethane. A full ban would have financial consequences for the company. “The elimination of urethane balls would have a measurable impact on our sales,” Vanover noted. In recent months, there has been speculation that manufacturers have slowed or stopped urethane development due to the pottential USBC urethane ban. Brunswick, however, denied this connection. “The urethane ball released in March 2024 was not connected to the ongoing USBC discussions,” said Vanover. While USBC has not yet announced a final decision, the topic remains one of the most widely discussed in the bowling community today. BowlingLife has been in contact with USBC officials, but at this time, the organization has no further comment beyond what was published in its social media post on July 23. USBC has also launched a public survey asking for input on how urethane bowling balls should be handled in certified competitions. USBC has also launched a public survey USBC has also launched a public survey All feedback gathered so far, along with any new responses, will be reviewed by the Equipment Specifications Committee at its next meeting, set for late August or early September 2025.

For a while, rumours about regarding a potential urethane ban was all across internet. Now, it is finally taking shape. The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) has issued a formal statement outlining growing concerns over the continued use of urethane bowling balls in certified competition. The announcement, released via social media last night, confirms that the national governing body is actively considering steps that could result in a USBC ban urethane bowling balls in the near future. via social media via social media Over the past several months, USBC has conducted in-depth research on urethane equipment. This process included gathering input from a third-party working group, technical experts, and key stakeholders across the sport. In addition, manufacturers were invited to submit comments during an official feedback period. According to USBC, the current concerns on urethane bowling balls focus on four key areas. First, there are issues with lane pattern integrity. According to USBC, urethane bowling balls tend to break down oil patterns faster than reactive balls. This creates lane conditions that may not match the intended design and can favor certain playing styles over others. lane pattern integrity Second, USBC points to competitive fairness. The use of both urethane and reactive resin balls in the same competitive setting may cause imbalances between different bowler styles. According to USBC, certain athletes gain an unfair advantage out of this. However, it remains unclear how this is defined as an unfair advantage, since each player chooses their own style, lane strategy, and equipment. competitive fairness Third, there are player development concerns, especially for younger athletes. The statement explains that an overdependance on urethane bowling balls may limit skill growth, reduce versatility, and affect how bowlers learn to adjust to different lane conditions. player development concerns Finally, USBC notes challenges with governance and enforcement. Urethane balls often measure softer over time, making it difficult to distinguish between natural wear and possible tampering. This has led to increased integrity issues, confusion at events, and overall discontent within the bowling community. challenges with governance and enforcement In response to these issues, USBC says it will continue to review the matter closely. Along with the official announcement on social media, USBC released a public survey asking on what should USBC do about urethane bowling balls in certified competitions. The survey offers several response options: USBC released a public survey USBC released a public survey Allow urethane with tighter specifications (such as a minimum hardness of 78); USBC ban urethane from all USBC-certified competition at the national, state, and local levels;USBC ban urethane only from USBC National Tournaments;Continue allowing urethane with no changes;This doesn't affect me, I'm not concerned about the topic. Allow urethane with tighter specifications (such as a minimum hardness of 78); USBC ban urethane from all USBC-certified competition at the national, state, and local levels; USBC ban urethane only from USBC National Tournaments; Continue allowing urethane with no changes; This doesn't affect me, I'm not concerned about the topic. All feedback collected to date, along with any new input, will be presented to the Equipment Specifications Committee during their next meeting, scheduled for late August or early September 2025. After that meeting, we should have a clearer picture wether USBC ban urethane bowling ball or not. Although, some sources suggest that the decission might be pretty much settled already. Though not officially confirmed in the USBC statement, sources suggest that bowling ball manufacturers had already been notified that a redefinition and ban of urethane bowling balls is expected. The exact scope and timeline are still under discussion. In the past year, most major brands have already moved away from producing new urethane bowling balls. For example, Storm released its last urethane model, the IQ Tour 78-U, in late 2023, while Hammer launched the Black Pearl Urethane in March 2024. Since then, no other performance-level urethane bowling balls have been released among major brands. IQ Tour 78-U IQ Tour 78-U The ban on urethane bowling balls is already taking place in Europe. In May, we reported that the Norwegian Bowling Federation (NBF) introduced a new rule banning the use of certain urethane bowling balls in major national competitions. This includes the Norwegian National Championships and the National League. we reported that the Norwegian Bowling Federation (NBF) introduced a new rule banning the use of certain urethane bowling balls in major national competitions. we reported that the Norwegian Bowling Federation (NBF) introduced a new rule banning the use of certain urethane bowling balls in major national competitions. Some bowlers were quick to react to the potential ban on urethane bowling balls. For example, four-time PBA Tour title winner Tom Daugherty jokingly suggested banning all spare bowling balls, since they make shooting spares too easy.

With just one month to go until the start of the only Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour event held outside the United States, the organizers of the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters 2025 have announced the length of this year’s lane pattern. Storm Lucky Larsen Masters 2025 Storm Lucky Larsen Masters 2025 This year’s event will feature a long oil pattern, measuring between 44 and 46 feet. The pattern was developed in collaboration with Kegel, and final testing will be conducted at Olympia Bowling shortly before the tournament begins. The exact pattern will be released on August 21st. More than 300 bowlers already registered to compete in Helsingborg, Sweden, from August 22 to August 31 - including top PBA Tour names like Andrew Anderson, Kyle Troup, and the defending champion Jesper Svensson. Join them too! the defending champion Jesper Svensson the defending champion Jesper Svensson Register for Storm Lucky Larsen Masters 2025 Register for Storm Lucky Larsen Masters 2025 With a total prize fund of over €100,000, Olympia Bowling will once again host one of Europe’s most anticipated tournaments. Set on Sweden’s southern coast, Helsingborg offers a scenic and lively setting for the event. Last year, local favorite Jesper Svensson claimed the title in dramatic fashion. This time, the field is even deeper, as world-class bowlers from across the globe prepare to take on the lanes. Find, register for, and follow bowling tournaments across Europe with the BowlingLife tournament platform. Find, register for, and follow bowling tournaments across Europe with the BowlingLife tournament platform. Find, register for, and follow bowling tournaments across Europe with the BowlingLife tournament platform. Find, register for, and follow bowling tournaments across Europe with the BowlingLife tournament platform.

The 49th MWA-Thailand International Open Bowling Championship came to an end on July 24 at Blu-O Rhythm & Bowl in Bangkok. The event brought together top bowlers from across Asia and beyond, with 178 men and 64 women bowlers competing this year. Men’s Division: Malaysia’s Izz Naqiuddin Takes the Title Malaysia’s Izz Naqiuddin Putera Islahuddin won the Men’s Open Masters title after a strong showing in both the earlier rounds and the final stepladder. Izz, who topped the third round with 1,383 total, entered the stepladder finals as the top seed. In the title match, he faced No. 6 seed Singapore’s Mike Ong, who had worked his way up from the quarterfinals. The final used the 1+1 format, and Ong struck first by winning the opening game 202–183. That forced a sudden-death decider. Izz responded with a clean game, including a three-strike finish from the eighth frame, to win 223–183 and secure the title. This marks Izz’s second title in the past month, following his recent victory at the KL Open. He also becomes the latest Malaysian to win the Thailand Open, following in the footsteps of his idol Rafiq Ismail, who won in 2015 and 2023. Mike Ong had earlier defeated Jaris Goh of Singapore and Aldric Bathan of the Philippines. He then advanced from the semifinal by beating Malaysia’s Syazirol Shamsuddin and Hong Kong’s Tony Wong. For his win, Izz earned 350,000 Thai baht (approx. €4,300). Women’s Division: Charmaine Chang Wins for Singapore In the Women’s Open Masters, Singapore’s Charmaine Chang claimed the title after entering the stepladder finals as the top seed. Chang faced Malaysia’s Siti Safiyah Amirah in the final and won 242–224 to seal the championship. Siti Safiyah had advanced by defeating two teammates, Nur Syazwani Sahar and Nora Lyana Nastasia. Chang had led the third round with a total of 1,362. Nur Syazwani and Siti Safiyah followed in second and third positions, while Singapore’s Shayna Ng and Ning Tay, along with Malaysia’s Nora Lyana, completed the top six for the stepladder finals. Chang took home 130,000 Thai baht (approx. €1,600).

Darren Tang, a PBA Tour title holder since his win at the 2021 Bowlerstore.com Classic, has officially written his name into the PBA record books with one exceptional achievement. After years of competing as a one-handed player, Tang made a bold move in late 2024 by switching to a two-handed delivery. Many fans assumed it was just for content - since Tang is the one of the biggest bowling content creators on YouTube - but it wasn’t. He bowled his first tournament using the two-handed style in November and fully committed to the change in February 2025. biggest bowling content creators on YouTube biggest bowling content creators on YouTube This weekend, his efforts fully paid off as he won the PBA Santa Maria Open in the West Region. With this victory, Tang becomes the first bowler ever to win PBA titles using both one-handed and two-handed techniques. Following the victory, Darren Tang spoke with Erikas Jansonas from BowlingLife about his newest achievement, the challenges he faced during the transition to two-handed, and how he sees his future on tour. As most things in life, best of them comes unexpectedly. That happened and this time. When asked what it meant for him to become the first player in PBA history to win titles using both styles, Darren said that he didn’t pursue the distinction on purpose, but acknowledged it was still a special moment. “Always cool to have the distinction to be the first to do something. It’s not something that I thought too much about,” Tang stated. “I just want to keep getting better to give myself the best chance possible to win again on the tour.” “Always cool to have the distinction to be the first to do something. It’s not something that I thought too much about,” Tang stated. “I just want to keep getting better to give myself the best chance possible to win again on the tour.” Even though many say that two-handed bowling is a kind of cheat code, it’s still difficult to learn - especially well enough to win a PBA title. When explaining the technical challenges that came with switching styles, Tang shared that one old habit in particular was especially tough to break. “The hardest habit to break for me is the internal rotation of my shoulder. I had this move as a one hander, and it would cause misses to the left and is more or less a power leak," Tang explained. "It’s exaggerated bowling two handed because of the position I have to rotate around now. If I don’t keep it in check, my elbow flies around the ball much worse than a good shot.” “The hardest habit to break for me is the internal rotation of my shoulder. I had this move as a one hander, and it would cause misses to the left and is more or less a power leak," Tang explained. "It’s exaggerated bowling two handed because of the position I have to rotate around now. If I don’t keep it in check, my elbow flies around the ball much worse than a good shot.” Starting over with a brand-new style is never easy—it takes time to develop, and there’s always some doubt. For pros like Tang, who need to perform just to make a living, the risk is even bigger. He admitted that the initial decision to switch wasn’t easy. But once he fully committed to going two-handed, he never looked back. “I haven’t doubted the switch. I did doubt switching initially. I think the hardest part in anything someone does is start. I understood that this would take some time. I told myself that I need to be okay with not cashing for the rest of the season to develop this skill. Once I committed, I never looked back. I was extremely fortunate to pick up on it much faster than I anticipated.” “I haven’t doubted the switch. I did doubt switching initially. I think the hardest part in anything someone does is start. I understood that this would take some time. I told myself that I need to be okay with not cashing for the rest of the season to develop this skill. Once I committed, I never looked back. I was extremely fortunate to pick up on it much faster than I anticipated.” Tang noticed that he strikes more often with the two-handed style, but some old habits of one-handed style still sneak into his current technique - reminding us that bowling is always changing and adapting. “I have committed to both styles. I believe the optimal way to throw strikes is with two hands. I also believe that the optimal way to shoot spares is with the thumb in. So that is what I will be committing to for the foreseeable future.” “I have committed to both styles. I believe the optimal way to throw strikes is with two hands. I also believe that the optimal way to shoot spares is with the thumb in. So that is what I will be committing to for the foreseeable future.”

Juho Vuoppola from Finland won the Berlin City Open 2025 on Sunday evening at City Bowling Hasenheide in Berlin, Germany. The Finnish bowler secured the title by defeating Germany’s Laura Beuthner in a two-game final with a total score of 494 to 435.Vuoppola took the lead early in the final match with a strong 269–234 victory in the first game. He followed up with a 225–215 win in the second game, sealing the overall result in his favor. To reach the final, Vuoppola defeated Lukáš Jelínek from the Czech Republic 424-369 (232-176, 192-193) in the semifinal round. On the other side of the bracket, Laura Beuthner advanced to the final after beating fellow German bowler Paul Purps 436-430 (195-238, 225-192). Vuoppola’s win in Berlin came just a week after he placed sixteenth at the 10th Brunswick Madrid Challenge in Spain, showing consistent form across international events. 10th Brunswick Madrid Challenge 10th Brunswick Madrid Challenge For the win, Vuoppola received 5,000 euros. The Berlin City Open 2025 attracted a total of 267 participants from 33 different countries. The tournament was held at City Bowling Hasenheide. Berlin City Open 2025 Results Berlin City Open 2025 Results

The 2025 PBA Sweden tour continues this August as the third stop, the PBA Sweden Badger Stockholm Open, heads to New Bowl Center Gullmarsplan from August 8 to 10. This event follows two exciting tournaments in Jönköping and Eskilstuna that kicked off the four-part series. At the opening stop in February, Pontus Andersson took home the title at the Chameleon Jönköping Open. He delivered a dominant performance in the stepladder finals, defeating Albin Lindberg 258–199. With this win, Andersson earned an international invitation to the 2026 PBA World Series of Bowling and secured a place in Final Step 1 of the 2025 Storm Lucky Larsen Masters. Pontus Andersson took home the title at the Chameleon Jönköping Open Pontus Andersson took home the title at the Chameleon Jönköping Open In April, Arnar David Jonsson of Iceland captured the Scorpion Open title in Eskilstuna after a dramatic comeback against Henrik Nordang Larsen. Jonsson’s victory also secured him a spot in the 2026 World Series of Bowling and a direct entry into the 2025 Lucky Larsen Masters Final Step 1 later this summer. Arnar David Jonsson of Iceland captured the Scorpion Open title in Eskilstuna Arnar David Jonsson of Iceland captured the Scorpion Open title in Eskilstuna Now, attention turns to the PBA Sweden stop in Stockholm, which will challenge bowlers with the long (48 feet) and demanding Badger oil pattern. Badger Badger The tournament runs from August 8 to 10, with qualifying squads starting on Friday. As of now, spots are still available in the Friday squads, giving bowlers a last-minute opportunity to join the competition. Register for PBA Sweden Badger Stockholm Open Register for PBA Sweden Badger Stockholm Open The PBA Sweden series includes four events, all leading to the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Helsingborg. Performances across these events matter - top three point earners across the series will qualify for the 2025 PBA Trials. The overall points leader will also secure a spot in the 2025 PBA Regional Players Invitational, with opportunities for both regular and senior divisions. Each event winner, including the Stockholm stop, receives an international invitation to the 2026 PBA World Series of Bowling with entry fee included. They also gain a spot in the Lucky Larsen Masters Final Step 1, which is a PBA National title tournament. The winner of that final event will earn a title on the PBA Tour and a place in the 2026 PBA Tournament of Champions. 2025 PBA Sweden Badger Stockholm Open will feature eight games of qualification. The top 24 players will advance to the cashers round and will play another eight games. After 16 games, the top 4 will advance to the step ladder. There's only 80 spots in the event and registration is ongoing. To register and to find more information, please visit the official website of the PBA Sweden - pbasweden.se. pbasweden.se pbasweden.se Useful links of the PBA Sweden Badger Stockholm Open: Useful links of the PBA Sweden Badger Stockholm Open: Registration Registration Registration Livestream Livestream Livestream Results Results Results Find more bowling tournaments on Tournaments | BowlingLife Tournaments | BowlingLife Tournaments | BowlingLife Tournaments | BowlingLife

The 2025 PBA50 Petraglia Championship concluded on Tuesday in Jackson, Michigan, with Finland’s Mika Koivuniemi winning his first PBA50 title since 2018. In the title match, Koivuniemi, the No. 2 seed, started strong with a strike and spare, then built momentum with seven consecutive strikes from the fourth to the tenth frame - a pace his opponent just couldn't hande, securing the win 258-224. Previously, in the semifinal, Koivuniemi defeated No. 5 seed Liz Johnson, who had advanced through two earlier matches by defeating Brian LeClair in the opening match, 215-199 and then defeating Tom Daugherty 225-197. Johnson and Koivuniemi were even early in the game, but a split in the fourth frame gave Koivuniemi the lead. He remained clean through the match and finished strong to win 227-202. Koivuniemi earned $5,000 for the win. This win was crucial for Major Mika as he moves closer to qualifying for the PBA50 World Championship match play. All qualifying scores from this tournament, along with those from the Ballard, Monacelli, and Holman Championships, will determine the top 18 players advancing to the World Championship. Koivuniemi currently stands in 19th place and will need strong results in the upcoming Holman Championship to move up. All matches of the PBA50 are available to watch live on BowlTV. PBA50 Petraglia Championship Stepladder Finals – Match Results PBA50 Petraglia Championship Stepladder Finals – Match Results Match 1: Liz Johnson def. Brian LeClair, 215 – 199 Match 1: Match 2: Liz Johnson def. Tom Daugherty, 225 – 197 Match 2: Semifinal: Mika Koivuniemi def. Liz Johnson, 227 – 202 Semifinal: Final: Mika Koivuniemi def. Bo Goergen, 258 – 224 Final: