The 56th Brunswick Ballmaster Open got underway on Friday at Tali Bowling Hall, with squads 1 and 2 opening the tournament in Helsinki.
A total of 123 players took to the lanes on the demanding Brunswick Ballmaster Open oil pattern, setting the tone for the first day of competition.
After the opening day, Finland’s Joonas Jehkinen leads the field and is the only player so far to break the symbolic 1400 total mark.
Squad 1 Overview
Squad 1 at the Brunswick Ballmaster Open 2026 opened with a very tight race at the top, led by Juhani Tonteri, who set the early pace with a total of 1391 over six games. He finished just two pins ahead of Santtu Tahvanainen, who followed closely with 1389, while Karo Hilokoski secured third place on 1357.
The rest of the top ten stayed within striking distance, with Luukas Väänänen at 1342, Tomi Laukkanen on 1336, and both Arttu Järvinen and Tomas Käyhkö tied on 1326. Nooa Vilokkinen, Niko Oksanen, and Jussi Laine rounded out the top ten.
Squad 2 Brought New Leader
Squad 2 at the Brunswick Ballmaster Open 2026 produced the highest total so far, with Joonas Jehkinen taking the lead after six games with 1424 total.
Joonas Jehkinen brought early drama in game 1, keeping the crowd on edge right up to the final shot with 11 strikes in a row. His last shot moved inside and finished with two pins left standing.
Markus Lahti finished second with 1328, followed closely by Linus Boström on 1324 and Panu Nurmilo at 1323, keeping the fight for the top positions tight.
Sanna Oksanen placed fifth with 1313, while Simon Tissarinen ended on 1297. The rest of the top ten saw Emanuel Jonsson, Arttu Järvinen, the defending champion Jarno Lahti, and the ECC champion Emma Palermaa.
Looking Ahead
The tournament resumes tomorrow with ssquad 3 at 10AM local. The second squad of the day is scheduled to begin at 2PM.
18 squads will be played thoughout qualification. The tournament runs from January 2 to January 11.
Fans can catch all the action via live streams and stay updated through regular posts on BowlingLife, the tournament's official media partner, across their website and social media platforms.
Useful links:
Brunswick Ballmaster Open Livestream
