The stepladder finals are set at the 2026 U.S. Open in Indianapolis after a very intense Round 3 of match play at Royal Pin Woodland. Anthony Simonsen, Patrick Dombrowski, Chris Via, Tim Foy Jr. and Andrew Anderson advanced to the championship round. But nothing was decided until the final game.
Throughout the final eight-game stretch, the leaderboard kept changing almost after every match, and the pressure was clearly visible on the lanes.
Anthony Simonsen secured the top seed for Sunday’s U.S. Open championship round. He finished with the highest overall total after 56 games and will need just one win to capture his second U.S. Open title.
Patrick Dombrowski claimed the second seed. Chris Via finished third, followed by Tim Foy Jr. in fourth place. Andrew Anderson secured the final stepladder position in fifth.
The last eight games of the U.S. Open felt like true March Madness, as all 24 bowlers refused to surrender and were ready to fight for every single pin. The tension was clearly felt throughout the building.
Tim Foy Jr. experienced a difficult stretch during his match against Ethan Fiore, losing ball reaction and struggling to find the right look. At one point, he stepped aside behind the approach to regroup and calm himself. Fortunately for him, it worked and he earned the No. 4 seed.
Andrew Anderson advanced only after a small “gift” from Tun Hakim, who needed a strike in the final frame of match play but came up short, effectively clearing the path for Anderson to reach the stepladder finals.
Jason Belmonte built momentum in what commentators on BowlTV described as one of the biggest comeback attempts of the week. However, even a 7-1 record in the final eight games was not enough to secure a place in the finals, as he ultimately finished eighth.
The broadcast booth also added to the atmosphere. Randy Pedersen handled commentary throughout the night, and Rick Allen, the new CW Network commentator, joined him during the sixth game. The two shared friendly banter, and Pedersen noted that Allen has done a strong job covering bowling on The CW.
Behind the top five, Tun Hakim finished sixth. Terrance Rock II placed seventh. Ethan Fiore finished ninth, right behind Belmonte, and AJ Johnson rounded out the top ten.
Defending champion EJ Tackett finished tied for eleventh with Tomas Kayhkö. Full results can be found here.
The U.S. Open championship round will air live Sunday at 4 p.m. Eastern on The CW from Indianapolis.
The winner will earn the major title, the green jacket and $100,000.
