USBC Masters: 32 Players Still in the Hunt for Major Title

The opening day of match play at the 2026 USBC Masters took place Friday at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Michigan, as the tournament moved into its bracket stage, where a single match can decide your fate in the season’s third major event.

Some love it, some hate it, but one thing is clear - the format delivers excitement from start to finish.

A total of 64 players, including defending champion Gary Haines, entered the double-elimination bracket. Over Friday, the field was cut in half, with 32 players eliminated and 32 remaining in contention for the title.

Sixteen players stayed undefeated in the winners bracket, while another 16 remained alive in the elimination bracket, with no room for error in the remaining four matches on Saturday.

Highlight Performances

Several of the top qualifiers continued their strong form into match play. Eric Jones, who finished second in qualifying, remained undefeated. Deo Benard, Spencer Robarge, Jesper Svensson, and Matt Russo also advanced without a loss.

There were also strong performances from players outside the top seeds. Jason Belmonte, EJ Tackett, and François Lavoie each finished the day undefeated, keeping themselves in position heading into the next rounds.

Several notable players remain in the elimination bracket, including Gary Haines, Parker Bohn III, Dom Barrett, and PBA Players Championship winner Brandon Bonta, who all kept their chances alive by winning key matches after early losses.

Butters and Simo Out

However, the format is tough on everyone, including the favorites.

Jakob Butturff, who led qualifying with a record-level performance, started match play with a win over defending champion Gary Haines. However, he later lost to Nate Garcia and then fell in the elimination bracket to Garrett Meadows, ending his run in the tournament.

Anthony Simonsen, a three-time USBC Masters champion and a popular pick in the BowlingLife Fantasy League this week, saw his run end earlier than expected. After winning his opening match, he lost his next two matches, including one in a elimination match, and was knocked out of the tournament.

Match play continues Saturday, where the field will be narrowed down to the final five players who will advance to the stepladder finals.

The finals will be broadcast live on Sunday at 4 p.m. Eastern on The CW.

BOWLINGLIFE FANTASY LEAGUE

Curious where your team sits in the overall race? Check the updated USBC Masters leaderboard and see if you're in the running for a pair of any Dexter bowling shoes from their shop!

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New Finals Format

The 2026 USBC Masters marks a shift in how the champion will be crowned. Following the move to a new broadcaster, The CW, the tournament is returning to the traditional five-player stepladder finals.

The road to the show is intense: the final two competitors in the Winners Bracket will face off to determine the top seed, while the final four players in the Elimination Bracket will fight for the remaining three spots on TV.

In the championship match, the #1 seed only needs to be defeated once, not twice, as in previous years.