Santtu Tahvanainen Wins First Career Title in PBA Owen’s Illinois Classic

The PBA crowned a new champion on Saturday night at Bowlero Vernon Hills in Vernon Hills, Ill.

Santtu Tahvanainen defeated Chris Via, 186-155, to win the PBA Owen’s Illinois Classic. The 2022 PBA Rookie of the Year claimed his first career PBA Tour title and the $30,000 top prize.

“I feel like every bowler who starts bowling and comes over here, they dream of this moment,” Tahvanainen said. “I come over to win, but actually having this moment is pretty special.”

Tahvanainen became the third player from Finland to win on the PBA Tour, joining Mika Koivuniemi and Osku Palermaa. 

“I deeply respect both of them, and especially their careers,” Tahvanainen said. “It's a good aim to aim higher than them and to dream even bigger. That is 100% my goal. I feel like, for me, it was a monkey on the back. This has helped me down a little bit for the show and win the title, and now we get to see where we can climb.”

Brett Spangler, Motiv’s tour rep, said he remembers the first shot Tahvanainen ever threw on the PBA Tour, which came during the 2022 PBA World Series of Bowling.

“There are people that, for one reason or another, stand out as remarkable,” Spangler said. “He's on a really short list of those people with EJ Tackett and Marshall Kent. There are probably some others, but those are the three that really stand out.”

Tahvanainen’s boundless joy and carefree attitude also stand out on tour. Few have seen that personality closer than Spangler, who is traveling with the young Finn this season.

“First of all, I probably wouldn't be traveling everywhere with him and rooming with him and everything if he wasn't an absolute delight. He's genuinely fun to have around,” Spangler said. “He feels like being light hearted and having fun is the way that he best processes what he's seeing on the lanes. I think there's something to that. It's a totally different outlook. You see that with a lot of those special talents. It's something that sets him apart.

“He feels like a very rare and unique talent, and uniqueness is invaluable on the PBA Tour.”

The 42-foot Salvino pattern — named and used in honor of PBA founding member, Hall of Famer and Chicago legend Carmen Salvino — played tricky at times during the championship round of the PBA Owen’s Illinois Classic.

Matt Ogle never got comfortable in the opening match, splitting twice to shoot 168 and lose to Tim Foy Jr.

The same was true for Ogle’s doubles partner Sean Rash in the second match, who also fell to Foy 242-190.

For much of the semifinal match, it looked like Foy might be on his way to his first career title. The Delaware native split in his 10th frame, opening the door for Chris Via to steal the match.

Via capitalized on the opportunity, doubling to move on to the title match with a 212-202 victory.

Neither Via nor Tahvanainen could get comfortable for very long in the championship. Tahvanainen’s two doubles were the most consecutive strikes by either player. 

Via, who played farther right with reactive equipment than any other player, started to lose ball reaction. He opted to chase the pattern left with Tahvanainen.

“I made a couple blind guesses there, hoping I stumbled into something really, really good,” Via said. “I executed the way I wanted to, unfortunately, it was just one of those pairs that just had my number. It felt a whole lot better than 150, but it is what it is. Santtu bowled a great game and you’ve got to tip your hat to him.”

Via moves up to third in the season’s points list after finishing third in last week’s U.S. Open presented by Go Bowling as well. The 32-year-old’s hunt for his second career title continues.

“Obviously the loss sucks,” Via said. “But at the same time, it makes you want it even more. I feel like I'm bowling really well right now. I know it's hard to win out here, but things are trending upward.”

The week began with the PBA Hall of Fame announcement of Chicago-area native Sean Rash. Ending with the first career title of a 28-year-old with sky-high potential feels like a fitting culmination.

In Tahvanainen’s young career, he has reached the championship round in six of his 24 events (25%). 

“Based on those early numbers, I think Santtu gets to pick his ceiling,” Spangler said.

“I feel like when the pattern length starts with a four, I have what it takes when I bowl really well,” Tahvanainen said. “I proved it to myself and to others by making the 2023 PBA World Championship telecast. The third frame of the fifth game (of the tournament), this shot just felt amazing. The ball shaped amazingly. And I knew the pattern was good for me. Even though I was -70 after the first four games, everything just clicked.

“Next week, we bowl on a long pattern and I'm really confident about it. Hopefully we can even go back to back. That's definitely what we're aiming for.”

Championship Round Scores

Match 1: No. 4 Tim Foy Jr. def. No. 5 Matt Ogle, 217-168
Match 2: No. 4 Tim Foy Jr. def. No. 3 Sean Rash, 242-190
Match 3: No. 2 Chris Via def. No. 4 Tim Foy Jr., 212-202
Championship: No. 1 Santtu Tahvanainen def. No. 2 Chris Via, 186-155

Final Standings

1. Santtu Tahvanainen, $30,000
2. Chris Via, $18,000
3. Sean Rash, $13,000
4. Tim Foy Jr., $10,000
5. Matt Ogle, $9,000

More information on the PBA Owen’s Illinois Classic is available here.