Fiore Leads 2025 PBA Players Championship Qualifying, Tackett Misses the Cut

Picture credit: Professional Bowlers Association (PBA)

The qualifying rounds at the 2025 PBA Players Championship are complete, and 20-year-old Ethan Fiore has taken the lead after 16 games at JAX 60 in Jackson, Michigan. Fiore totaled 3,733 pins on the 37-foot Don Carter oil pattern.

Behind Fiore in the standings are Dean Vargo (3,689), Patrick Dombrowski (3,610), Arturo Quintero (3,604), and Ryan Barnes (3,589), who complete the top five. Bill O’Neill, who won the 2024 PBA Players Championship, is in 16th place with 3,510, just ahead of Jason Belmonte (3,494), a three-time Players Championship winner.

In total, 86 bowlers advanced from qualifying and will return for two more rounds on Thursday. The first group will bowl eight games in the morning, and the top half will move on to another eight games in the evening.

From there, the top 16 players will qualify for round-robin match play on Friday. After match play, nine players will reach the TV rounds.

Tough Week for EJ Tackett

One of the biggest surprises from the qualifying round was the early exit of EJ Tackett. After winning two of the first three majors this season, Tackett came into the Players Championship as one of the top favorites. However, things didn’t go his way in Jackson.

Despite a strong start to the season, Tackett couldn't find the right rhythm during qualifying. He ended up finishing in 110th place with a 3,224 total, well short of the top 86 cut line.

Still, with two major title wins earlier this year, Tackett remains a major threat for the rest of the season and is still very much in the Player of the Year conversation.

Full results of the 2025 PBA Players Championship can be found here.

How the Tournament Works

• Oil Pattern: 37-foot Don Carter

• Field: 172 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

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.