The stage is set for an electrifying show at the PBA World Championship Finals, where some of the sport’s biggest names will battle for one of bowling’s most prestigious titles.
After 80 grueling games at the World Series of Bowling (WSOB) XVI, leading the pack is Jason Belmonte, the all-time PBA WSOB leader with nine career titles at this event. Even though the Australian secured the Roth/Holman PBA Doubles title with Bill O'Neill this year, two-handed superstar secured the top seed and is determined to win his first singles title in over two years. With 15 major victories already, he’s looking to extend his own record and inch closer to what he believes is the ultimate milestone: 20 career major titles. At 41, he knows he’s no longer the undisputed best bowler in the world, but his motivation is clear—he doesn’t just want to be the best right now, he wants to be the best of all time.
Right behind him is EJ Tackett, who made all TV Round apprearances here at the National Bowling Stadium ir Reno, finishing second in Mike Aulby Nevada Classic, third in Scorpion, second in Viper, fourth in Chameleon and first in Shark. Tackett is in the middle of one of the most dominant stretches in PBA history, making an unprecedented seven consecutive singles championship rounds. If he can defend his title, he’ll become only the sixth player ever to win a major tournament three years in a row, winning PBA World Championship in 2023 and 2024.
Joining Belmonte and Tackett in the stepladder finals are Tim Foy Jr., David Krol, and BJ Moore, three successful bowlers this season, eager to make their mark on the sport’s biggest stage. Foy has been one of the breakout players of the season, making five championship round appearances, but he’s still searching for his first PBA Tour win. Krol has yet to lose a championship round match in his career, an incredible feat that he hopes to continue as he makes his first major finals appearance. Moore, a proven competitor with one PBA Tour title, earned his spot in dramatic fashion, delivering three clutch strikes in the position round to secure the fifth and final seed against Sweden's Jesper Svensson.
Will Belmonte reclaim his throne, or will Tackett continue his reign? Or will one of the underdogs rise to the occasion and shock the world? With a mix of legends and rising stars, the PBA World Championship Finals promise to deliver high-stakes drama from the first frame to the last.
The action airs live on Saturday, at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET) on FOX, with international coverage available on BowlTV.
