Qualifying at the 2026 USBC Senior Masters ended with several new marks in the record book and Michael Machuga leading the top 64 into match play.
Machuga finished qualifying as the No. 1 seed with a 15-game total of 3,742 at Sam’s Town Bowling Center in Las Vegas. His total set a new USBC Senior Masters qualifying record and gave him a 249.5 average across three days.
Machuga started the tournament with 1,252 in the opening round. He then added 1,234 in Round 2 and finished qualifying with 1,256 in the final round.
Machuga's record wasn't the only one that fell at Sam's Town Bowling Center. Anthony Crews had a show of his own, shooting the biggest round of the day. Crews shot 1,414 for five games with games of 279, 278, 300, 279 and 278 for an unbelievable 282.8 average.
The score broke the previous USBC Senior Masters five-game record by 67 pins. The previous record belonged to Don Hargraves, who set it in 1997 with 1,347.
With the 1,414 total, Crews also tied the fourth-highest five-game series in USBC history. The record belongs to Keith Glasgow, who scored 1,426 in 2007.
The final round moved Crews into second place overall with 3,729 for 15 games.
Chris Warren qualified third with 3,679. Andy Neuer was close behind him and qualified fourth with 3,672. Don Smith completed the top five with 3,657.
Defending champion Tom Daugherty advanced to match play from the 20th position with 3,471.
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The USBC Senior Masters now moves into three-game total-pinfall bracket matches. The first four rounds will take place Friday, with two rounds in the Winners Bracket and two rounds in the Elimination Bracket.
Match play will continue Saturday at noon Eastern until the field is reduced to the top five for Sunday’s stepladder finals.
The stepladder finals are scheduled to begin Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Because the finals will use the tournament’s true double-elimination format, the top seed will need to be defeated twice to lose the title. The winner of the 2026 USBC Senior Masters will earn a PBA50 major title and the $20,000 prize.
