Top bowlers from around the world are arriving at AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio this week, as the PBA Tournament of Champions gets underway, featuring one of the most exclusive fields in bowling.
All eyes will be on this tournament. Its intensity even drew attention from Ben Stiller last year — and now we know why.The PBA Tournament of Champions is not only exciting for fans, but highly valued by players as well. Many want to compete, but only a limited group earns the chance to be in the ToC, as the event is reserved only for PBA champions.
Every player in the field has previously won a title, whether on the PBA Tour, PBA Regional Tour, or PBA50 Tour. PBA Tour champions qualify directly, while Regional and PBA50 winners must advance through the Pre-Tournament Qualifier (PTQ).
Win Free Dexter Shoes!
The PBA Tournament of Champions is the final event of Round 2! Submit your roster now for a chance to win any pair of bowling shoes of your choice from Dexter.
Seventy-two players are ready for the season's fourth major title. Sixty PBA champions were already qualified as previous winners on the PBA Tour, and 12 more advanced through the PTQ to complete the lineup.
Michael Davidson led the PTQ with 1,695 pins over seven games. Tim Foy finished second with 1,617, followed by Nicholas Pate with 1,612 and Andrew Hall with 1,611. Ryan Barnes and Zach Weidman both advanced with 1,565, while Brian Robinson (1,562), Brett Lloyd (1,553), Casey Cohagan (1,546), and Jeff Mann (1,514) also secured their places. Alexander Horton (1,512) and Sean Lavery-Spahr (1,510) claimed the final two advancing spots.
All eyes will be on Jesper Svensson, who returns as the defending champion. Last year he led after match play and secured the title with a 221-197 win over Jakob Butturff in the championship match.
Tournament Format
The format begins with 18 games of qualifying, split across three rounds on Wednesday and Thursday. After qualifying, the top 24 players move on to round-robin match play.
Match play continues on Friday, where players bowl additional games and earn bonus pins for wins. After a total of 42 games, the top five players advance to the stepladder finals.
The finals will be held on Sunday, April 26, and will be broadcast live on The CW at 4 p.m. ET.
Your Weekly Bowling Digest
The latest bowling news, tips, and gear reviews—all wrapped up in a quick 3-minute read delivered straight to your inbox.
PBA Tournament of Champions Oil Pattern
