Last Sunday, Patrick Dombrowski secured the biggest victory of his career in Indianapolis, defeating Anthony Simonsen by just mere two pins to win the 2026 U.S. Open and capture his first PBA Tour title.
The dramatic championship match came down to the final shot, when Simonsen left a pocket 7–10 split that sealed the win for the 47-year-old former accountant.
For Dombrowski, the moment marked the culmination of years of persistence on the PBA Tour. After years competing mostly on regionals and committing to the national tour full-time only recently, the breakthrough finally arrived on bowling’s biggest stage.
In the title match against Simonsen, Dombrowski did everything he could to keep the pressure on his opponent. Simonsen needed three strikes in the tenth frame to force a roll-off, but after two strikes, the third never came. Speaking with BowlingLife after the win, Dombrowski reflected on the tense final moments of the championship match.
“I was shocked. I was thinking about my next shot. I thought he was going to strike out to tie me.”
Instead of preparing for a roll-off against one of the sport’s biggest stars, Dombrowski suddenly realized the title was his.
Not just the final match, but the entire week turned into an emotional ride. Dombrowski, a big fan of amusement parks and rollercoasters, admitted the U.S. Open felt just as intense.
“It was a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the week and even on the show. I just tried to shake the no strike frames out of my mind and throw the next shot better," Dombrowski said. "Wish there was a park close by so I can celebrate the win but I’ll have to save my celebration for a bit and focus on this weeks tournament in Illinois.”
The stepladder finals were also marked by six pocket 7–10 splits in four games - including the final shot by Simonsen that ultimately decided the title. When asked why they were appearing so often, Dombrowski said he also experienced his share of tough breaks earlier in the tournament, but fortunately they did not come in the most decisive moments.
“I’m not really sure how there was so many 7-10’s on the show. I left my share of them this past week. I think I left 10. Three in one game on pattern 3. I’m lucky that I didn’t leave any. It was just my day."
The PBA Tour now moves to Decatur, Illinois, where the Groupon PBA Illinois Classic is already taking place at David Small’s Victory Lanes from March 9–15. On Monday, Johnny Quach led the PTQ as 19 players advanced into the main field.
