Who is leading the 2026 USBC Masters after Round 1?

Deo Benard is the current leader after the opening round of qualifying at the 2026 USBC Masters, posting a five-game total of 1,309 at Thunderbowl Lanes.

What is the all-time 5-game qualifying record for the USBC Masters?

The all-time record is 1,319, set by Parker Bohn III in 2001. Deo Benard's 2026 performance of 1,309 is the second-highest in tournament history.

How many players advance to match play in the 2026 USBC Masters?

The top 63 players from qualifying will advance to the double-elimination match play bracket, where they will be joined by the defending champion, Gary Haines.

What are the oil pattern specifications for the 2026 USBC Masters?

The 2026 tournament features a 41-foot oil pattern with an extremely heavy total volume of 35.59 mL and a challenging pattern ratio of 1.87:1.

Where can I watch the 2026 USBC Masters finals?

The 2026 USBC Masters finals will be broadcast on The CW, featuring a return to the traditional five-player stepladder finals format.

Deo Benard’s Near-Record Start Leads USBC Masters Field

The opening round of qualifying at the 2026 USBC Masters is complete, with Deo Benard taking the early lead at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Michigan.

Benard posted a five-game total of 1,309 to lead the field after Round 1. His performance came close to the all-time tournament record of 1,319, set by Parker Bohn III. Benard entered the final frame of his last game with a chance to challenge that mark but finished just short, securing the second-highest five-game block in USBC Masters history.

USBC Masters

All-Time 5-Game Qualifying Record

Highest 5-Game Block

Current Leader
1,309
Deo Benard (2026)

All-Time Record
1,319
Parker Bohn III (2001)

*Benard now holds the 2nd highest 5-game total in USBC Masters history.

Dominic Barrett is in second place with 1,282, followed by Jakob Butturff in third with 1,252. Zachary Wilkins holds fourth place with 1,242, while Graham Fach sits in fifth with 1,221.

Arnar Jonsson is sixth with 1,206, Nate Garcia is seventh with 1,203, and Spencer Robarge is eighth with 1,192. Timothy Foy Jr. also posted 1,192 to take ninth place, while Garrett Meadows rounds out the top 10 with 1,191.

The current cut line is at 1,118, held by two players, Quinton Bohlen and Ryan Powers.

Defending champion Gary Haines is in 206th place with 1,015, but he will advance to the top 64 regardless of his final qualifying position.

THe second qualifying round at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Michigan begins at 8 AM ET.

The 2026 USBC Masters features a 390-player field competing over three rounds of qualifying. Each round consists of five games, for a total of 15 games before the cut.

After qualifying, the top 63 players will advance to the double-elimination match play bracket, joined by the defending champion. The tournament will then continue through match play before the top five players move on to the stepladder finals.

A New Look for the TV Finals

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.

The Pattern: 2026 USBC Masters (41 Feet)

The Masters pattern is designed to identify the absolute best shot-maker in the building. This year, Kegel has laid out a 41-foot challenge that leaves little room for error.