Luukas Väänänen, a 20-year-old bowler from Joensuu, Finland, made a stunning run at the 2025 USBC Masters. He finished 22nd in the qualification, scoring a 213.2 average on the 44-foot Hourglass oil pattern, one of the toughest conditions on the PBA Tour this season. But his journey didn't end there. After winning his first match play game, he faced two of the biggest names at the 2025 USBC Masters.
Reflecting on his performance at the 2025 USBC Masters, Luukas couldn’t help but feel proud of his results. Despite the challenging conditions and intense competition, he was able to finish ahead of many experienced bowlers.
"It feels amazing!" Luukas Väänänen told Erikas Jansonas of BowlingLife in an interview. "The pattern wasn’t easy, but I managed to bowl that well. Many great bowlers finished behind me."
The oil pattern of this year's USBC Masters proved to be challenging for many players, but Luukas showcased his resilience and focus throughout the week. After successfully making the cut in 22nd place, he faced Alec Keplinger in the first round of match play. Although the match was tough, Luukas stayed calm, focusing on executing one good shot at a time.
"The first match against Alec Keplinger was really tough, but luckily I managed to win it. I was just focusing on making one good shot at a time and not thinking too much about my opponents. They’re people too, not that different from me."
After overcoming Keplinger 583-561 in the three-game total match play, Luukas found himself facing two of the biggest names in bowling one after another: reigning Player of the Year EJ Tackett, who already won two majors this season at the U.S. Open and the PBA World Championship, and the 2024 USBC Masters champion DeeRonn Booker. But even though he didn’t make it further, losing to both of them, Luukas remained positive, sharing that he was able to learn valuable lessons from his performance, recognizing that even a few mistakes could make the difference in such high-level competition.
"I made too many bad shots in those three series. You can’t make five, six, or seven bad shots… Opponents are so good, and they don’t make that many bad shots. In situations like this, you just need to be, so you can learn how to perform and win."
As the tournament came to a close, Luukas was already looking forward to his next challenges. He plans to return to Finland to prepare for the European Men’s Championships in June and the 2024 EBT Masters in May, hoping to build on the lessons he learned in Michigan.
While his journey at the 2025 USBC Masters may have ended, Luukas is feeling more motivated than ever. His performance in the tournament has only made him hungrier to compete at the highest levels.
"All in all, it was a really great tournament, and I’m happy with my performance. This tournament and placement have made me even hungrier. Looking forward to bowling next time in the U.S."
After a week-long competition, the 390-player field is now down to four: Gary Haines, Anthony Simonsen, Bill O'Neill, and Justin Knowles. The 2025 USBC Masters Finals will air today at noon (Michigan local time) on FOX. International viewers can watch the finals on BowlTV.
