March 20, 2025 Nolan Hughes

The major championship finale of the PBA World Series of Bowling (WSOB) XVI is winding down at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev.

Jason Belmonte seized the PBA World Championship lead after the first round of round-robin match play on Thursday.

Belmonte tallied a 6-2 record to bring his total pinfall to 17,252 (+2,852) through 72 games, including bonus pins.

Belmonte entered the day trailing then-tournament leader EJ Tackett by 65 pins, and ended the round ahead by 216 pins. The Australian is far from content with that margin.

“EJ is the type of player that whatever I just did, he can equally do that as well,” Belmonte said. “For me, it was really, it was really all speed control. I felt like if I could manipulate my ball speed and consistently create the shape that I wanted to, it really helped me get the ball going through the pocket right.”

Belmonte made match play in all four animal pattern championships — Scorpion, Viper, Chameleon and Shark — in the WSOB, but lost to Tackett in his lone championship round appearance. 

“Those animal pattern tournaments, you'd love to win them. They grow your title count,” Belmonte said. “But if you're going to win one, this is the one you want to win.”

Tackett (+2,636), who made all four animal pattern championship rounds, won last night’s PBA Shark Championship and remains in second place in the PBA World Championship.

Tim Foy Jr. (+2,405), Boog Krol (+2,339) and Jesper Svensson rounding out the top five. Chris Via and BJ Moore resided within 50 pins of Svensson.

Via, who won the U.S. Open at the National Bowling Stadium in 2021, climbed from 10th into sixth through the first half of round-robin match play.

“I feel like I have a little bit more patience not having the one-and-done type deal,” said Via, who lost in the Round of 16 in the PBA Chameleon and Shark Championships. “I’m focusing on my game and at the end of the game, we'll see if it gets the extra bonus bins. I feel like if I just keep on bowling good games, I'm gonna give myself a good chance (to make the show).”

Match play concludes Thursday night at 5 p.m. Pacific/local (8 p.m. Eastern) time, livestreaming on BowlTV.

The top five players after Thursday’s final match play round will advance to Saturday’s stepladder finals, airing at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET) on FOX and the FOX Sports app.

The full upcoming PBA television schedule is available here.

Round-Robin Match Play Round 1 Leaders | PBA World Championship
  1. Jason Belmonte, 17,252 (+2,852)
  2. EJ Tackett, 17,036 (+2,636)
  3. Tim Foy Jr., 16,805 (+2,405)
  4. Boog Krol, 16,739 (+2,339)
  5. Jesper Svensson, 16,676 (+2,276)
  6. Chris Via, 16,661 (+2,261)
  7. BJ Moore, 16,633 (+2,233)
  8. Mitch Hupé, 16,575 (+2,175)
  9. Kyle Troup, 16,571 (+2,171)
  10. Andrew Anderson, 16,443 (+2,043)
  11. Thomas Larsen, 16,438 (+2,038)
  12. Ethan Fiore, 16,437 (+2,037)
  13. Matt Ogle, 16,393 (+1,993)
  14. Zach Wilkins, 16,379 (+1,979)
  15. Darren Ong, 16,361 (+1,961)
  16. Lanndyn Carnate, 16,351 (+1,951)

Full standings are available here.

Tournament Schedule

National Bowling Stadium | Reno, NV

All times Pacific/local

Thursday, March 20
10 a.m. — PBA World Championship - Round-Robin Match Play Round 1 (eight games)
5 p.m. — PBA World Championship - Round-Robin Match Play Round 2 (eight games)

Top five players advance to PBA World Championship stepladder finals

Saturday, March 22
12 p.m. on FOX — PBA World Championship Finals
Free Tickets

More information on the PBA World Series of Bowling XVI is available here.