August 23, 2024 Nolan Hughes

Round 7 Standings

After seven of eight rounds, three players have ostensibly secured exempt status on the 2025 PBA Tour: Hayden Stippich, Brandon Runk and Tim Foy Jr. The trio sits more than 300 pins ahead of the top-12 cut with just six games remaining.

The remainder of the top 12, who will each earn exempt status on the 2025 PBA Tour, including priority entry for all 2025 PBA Tour events and eligibility for the PBA Elite League draft, is far from determined.

Nate Purches, a contender for 2024 PBA Rookie of the Year, used massive games of 300 and 264 to surge from 19th to fourth on the lower scoring 47-foot pattern.

“I knew there was 12 games to go. I just had to take it one shot at that time and keep it clean,” Purches said. “We knew this was going to be a lower scoring pattern, and I got off to such a hot start that I got the confidence I needed. I shot a 190 in there, but that didn't really bother me, especially after shooting bills.”

Purches recently made one massive change in his game and is working on adapting a second. He drilled holes in his spare ball following the PBA/PBA50/PWBA Jonesboro Trios; he previously used an undrilled plastic ball for spares.

The 21-year-old is also learning to keep his emotions in check.

“I used to be a guy that's all about energy, all about that adrenaline,” Purches said. “But now, I just want to keep it one emotion and not let the good shots get ahead of me. Because if I let those good shots get ahead of me, and let the energy get there, it's going to be a rough time with a big crash towards the end.”

Ryan Barnes (+965) rounds out the top five, while Chase Nadeau, Andrew Hall and Bailey Mavrick each sit just over 85 pins inside the cut.

Beneath them is pure chaos. The difference between ninth place David Northouse (+868) and 21st (Dean Vargo, +806) is just 62 pins.

Northouse, Cam Crowe, Kim Bolleby and Nathan Bohr are inside the current cut, but Cody Shoemaker, Tim Cagle II, Pete Vergos, Chris Sloan, Anthony Neuer, Pontus Andersson, Frank Snograss, William Svensson and Vargo are hot on their heels.

A handful players beyond them cannot be ruled out either.

Bohr’s rise into 12th place would be a feel-good story for many. Bohr missed earning an exemption during the 2024 PBA Tour by one spot, finishing 44th in points and a mere 30 points behind 43rd.

“I'm still holding out hope that there was a math error in there somewhere that somebody will find, and I was actually in the top 43,” Bohr said only half-jokingly. “I've been here before. I've gained an exemption, I've kept an exemption, I've lost an exemption. My life didn't end or didn't change that much, either way."

The 44-year-old veteran has never been known for possessing an overwhelmingly powerful game. So while the vast majority of the right-handed field migrated inside and lofted the ball well into the air, Bohr played right of the first arrow all six games.

“Last night, I was tired of watching guys do things I couldn't do. So I said I’m going to do something I can do,” Bohr said. “I wasn't trying to bowl 260 every game. I was just hoping that my pace was 10 pins per game higher than the other guys. So far it's been that way. Hopefully it can stay that way tonight.”

The chase to make the top 12 concludes tonight at 6 p.m. Central (7 p.m. Eastern) at Bowlero Deer Park.

All rounds of PBA Tour Trials will be livestreamed on BowlTV.

More information on PBA Tour Trials is available here.

Round 7 Leaders

  1. Hayden Stippich, 9,633 (+1,233) — 375 pins ahead of 13th place
  2. Brandon Runk, 9,618 (+1,18) — 360
  3. Tim Foy Jr., 9,576 (+1,176) — 318
  4. Nate Purches, 9,408 (+1,008) — 150
  5. Ryan Barnes, 9,365 (+965) — 107
  6. Chase Nadeau, 9,359 (+959) — 101
  7. Andrew Hall, 9,350 (+950) — 92
  8. Bailey Mavrick, 9,343 (+943) — 85
  9. David Northouse, 9,268 (+868) — 10
  10. Cam Crowe, 9,267 (+867) — 9
  11. Kim Bolleby, 9,263 (+863) — 5
  12. Nathan Bohr, 9,261 (+861) — 3

PBA Tour Trials Schedule

All times listed in Central

Monday, Aug. 19 — Pre-Tournament Qualifier
Results

Tuesday, Aug. 20 — Bowlero Woodridge
11 a.m. — Qualifying Round 1 (six games; 35’ PBA pattern)
6 p.m. — Qualifying Round 2 (six games; 35’ PBA pattern)

Wednesday, Aug. 21 — Bowlero Randall Road
11 a.m. — Qualifying Round 1 (six games; 41’ PBA pattern)
6 p.m. — Qualifying Round 2 (six games; 41’ PBA pattern)

Thursday, Aug. 22 — Bowlero Mount Prospect
11 a.m. — Qualifying Round 1 (six games; 44’ PBA pattern)
6 p.m. — Qualifying Round 2 (six games; 44 PBA pattern)

Friday, Aug. 23 — Bowlero Deer Park
11 a.m. — Qualifying Round 1 (six games; 47 PBA pattern)
6 p.m. — Qualifying Round 2 (six games; 47 PBA pattern)
Results

Top 12 players qualify for 2025 PBA Tour exempt status