This PBA season has turned into something very few people could have predicted. From the opening event of the year all the way to the lead-up to the Tournament of Champions finals, the story has not been domination by the usual names—it has been the year of the underdog.
And by underdog, we mean rookies, first-time winners, and players who had spent years chasing a title that never seemed to come.
Instead of the veterans collecting all the trophies, this season has been filled with breakthrough moments, major titles, and a reminder that on any given day, anybody can win.
Brandon Bonta Opens the Season with a Bang
At the PBA Players Championship, rookie Brandon Bonta didn’t just win—he made a statement.
The 23-year-old rookie rolled a perfect 300 game in the title match to defeat three-time reigning Player of the Year EJ Tackett, 300-238.
Let that sink in for a moment.
In his first career PBA Tour event as a professional, Bonta beat the best bowler in the world, won a major championship, earned the $100,000 top prize, and added a $10,000 television bonus for the perfect game.
That’s not just a first title. That’s a dream debut.
Patrick Dombrowski Finally Gets His Moment
At the U.S. Open, Patrick Dombrowski proved that persistence still matters.
Dombrowski defeated Anthony Simonsen by just two pins to capture his first career PBA Tour title—and it happened to be a major.
He had been bowling on the PBA Tour since 2004, earning more than $228,000 without ever lifting a trophy. That changed when he claimed one of the sport’s most prestigious events and walked away wearing the coveted green blazer.
Some wins are fast. Some take twenty years.
Simonsen Reminds Everyone He’s Still Simonsen
Not every stop belonged to a newcomer.
At the PBA Illinois Classic, Anthony Simonsen added title number 17 to his resume, reminding everyone why he is already viewed as a future Hall of Famer.
But it wasn’t easy.
To beat defending champion Santtu Tahvanainen, Simonsen had to throw 11 strikes in a row in the title match, winning 290-279.
Sometimes greatness still has to survive a street fight.
Marshal Kent Survives the Grind
At the PBA Indiana Classic, Marshal Kent claimed his seventh career title by defeating Boog Kroll in a gritty, low-scoring final, 152-136.
It wasn’t flashy. It was survival.
The stepladder finals also featured two rookies—Timmy Tan and Ryan Barnes—along with one-time winner Boog Kroll, showing once again how much fresh blood has been pushing into the spotlight this season.
Boog Kroll Breaks Through at the Masters
Boog Kroll wasn’t done.
At the USBC Masters, he entered the stepladder finals as the fifth seed and climbed all the way to the top to claim his first major championship.
Four straight wins.
Matt Sanders.
Jesper Svensson.
Eric Jones.
And finally, EJ Tackett.
The last match came down to a single pin.
That’s how close greatness can be.
Spencer Robarge Keeps the Rookie Run Alive
Rookie Spencer Robarge added another chapter to the season’s underdog story by winning the Pilgrim’s PBA Ohio Classic.
He defeated Chris Via, Packy Hanrahan, and top seed Ryan Barnes to claim the title.
The championship match featured two rookies, with Robarge defeating Barnes by 12 pins.
Another rookie. Another first-time winner.
At this point, it wasn’t a trend—it was becoming the theme of the season.
Austin Grammar Nearly Makes History
Rookie Austin Grammar kept the momentum rolling at the PBA New York Classic.
The 23-year-old captured his first career PBA Tour title by defeating Kris Prather with a near-perfect 299 game in the title match.
He came one stubborn pin away from becoming the second rookie this season to shoot 300 on television.
One pin.
Sometimes history hangs on wood.
Even the Doubles Event Joined the Party
Surely the Roth-Holman Doubles would be where the veteran winners took control.
Not so fast.
Zach Wilkins and AJ Chapman, neither of whom had ever won on tour, became champions by defeating fellow non-winners Sean and Anthony Lavery-Spahr in two straight games of the race-to-two-points final.
Even the doubles event refused to follow the script.
Now Comes the Tournament of Champions
Heading into the Tournament of Champions, logic says the run has to end.
Right?
Apparently not.
Enter rookie Alex Horton.
Horton earned his way into the TOC after winning his first regional title last season during his rookie year as a regional pro. That gave him access to the PTQ, where he battled through and earned his spot in the field.
Now he sits as the number two seed.
Another rookie. Another chance to shock the world.
And with Brandon Bonta, Spencer Robarge, and Austin Grammar already winning this season, Horton has every reason to believe he could be next.
Why This Is What Makes Sports Great
There’s an old theory of competition that says:
“No matter what the stats may say, what the experts may think, or what the commentators may have predicted, when the race is on, all bets are off.”
That’s the beauty of sports.
At any moment, the youngest, the weakest, the least experienced, or the least expected can decide:
“Today is my day.”
That’s where the fun lives.
That’s why we watch.
“Because every once in a while, someone flips the script, refuses to yell uncle, and suddenly—
WE GOT OURSELVES A GAME.”
Edit, to add to the story after it was published.
The story continues with history being made.
Alex Horton added another chapter to what is quickly becoming the Year of the Rookie on the PBA Tour. On the historic lanes of AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio, Horton captured his first career PBA Tour title by winning the Tournament of Champions, one of the sport’s most prestigious events.
He defeated Andrew Anderson before taking down top seed Zach Wilkins in the championship match, earning the $100,000 top prize and becoming the fourth rookie this season to win a PBA Tour title. At this point, the veterans may be wondering whether the rookies plan to leave any trophies behind.
