March 30, 2025 Nolan Hughes

Gary Haines, a 36-year-old Long Island native, capped off the best week of his professional bowling career by winning the USBC Masters title, the third major championship of the 2025 PBA Tour.

The top seed defeated three-time Masters champion Anthony Simonsen in the title match to win his first career PBA Tour title at Strobl Arena inside Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich.

“This was my week,” Haines said. “Something finally just let me relax and throw the ball the way I knew I could throw it, the way I threw it all week to get here. I have finished second so many times. I have five runner-up finishes in PBA Regionals. I’m always there and it feels like this week, finally, somebody was like, ‘This guy needs to win.’

Haines, who went undefeated in double-elimination match play, had to be defeated twice in the championship.

Simonsen won the first game, 207-172, to force a winner-take-all second game, where Haines took advantage of a few fortunate breaks and delivered two clutch shots when he needed them most.

“I feel like I’m going to remember those two shots and forget about the rest of the games,” Haines said. “I couldn’t have thrown it worse for 18 frames, but I gave my wife a kiss and I said to relax and let loose. I earned it. I threw two of the best shots of my life right there.”

Haines works full-time for National Grid as a control room operator in a steam power plant. He compared himself to Homer Simpson after defeating Simonsen on Friday to earn the top seed.

Despite the David vs. Goliath nature of the matchup, Haines said he did not feel intimidated about facing Simonsen.

“I bowled him for the (top seed) already, and you know what? I out-bowled him then,” Haines said. “I knew on TV it was going to be me against myself. Luckily, whatever he had going on there kept me alive, which apparently was the worst thing you could do.”

After earning a PBA Tour title, Haines will be exempt from most pre-tournament qualifiers (PTQs), but said he has no plans on leaving his day job to compete on the tour full-time.

“I don't think you're going to see me out here any more than you already did,” Haines said. “I have a very good job at home. It would not make sense for me to quit (my job), come out here and think all of a sudden I'm going to be the best in the world. I'm not. You saw out there for 18 frames. I still have a long way to go to beat these guys week in and week out.”

Despite Haines’ visible nerves and inconsistent shot-making, Simonsen was unable to put Haines away in the championship match. Simonsen maintained control for much of the deciding game, but a 4-9 split in the fifth frame and a four-count split after a strike in his frame ceded control back to the lefty.

“When it's not your day, it's not your day,” Simonsen said. “Clearly, it was Gary's week. He made a very impressive split to end (qualifying), and then went on a crazy run through match play. That’s how bowling works. Sometimes it's your day, and sometimes it's not. My 4-9 in the fifth frame definitely put a wrench in some things, but I wouldn't bowl that game any differently than I did.”

Simonsen defeated Bill O’Neill in the semifinal match that featured a similar ending.

After Simonsen left two single-pins in the seventh and eighth frames, O’Neill seized control of the match. O’Neill responded with back-to-back open frames, leaving a 2-10 split combination each time.

In the opening match, O’Neill survived a rock fight with Detroit-native Justin Knowles, winning 202-195.

O’Neill battled inconsistent ball reaction, but stayed clean aside from a split in his sixth frame. Meanwhile, Knowles struck just one time on the right lane  — a Brooklyn — before O’Neill shut him out.

The PBA Tour continues with PBA All-Star Weekend April 4-6.

Championship Round Results

Match One: No. 3 Bill O’Neill def. No. 4 Justin Knowles, 202-195
Match Two: No. 2 Anthony Simonsen def. No. 2 Bill O’Neill, 189-176
Championship: No. 1 Gary Haines def. No. 2 Anthony Simonsen (Game 1: Simonsen def. Haines 207-172; Game 2: Haines def. Simonsen, 192-186)

Final Standings

  1. Gary Haines, $100,000
  2. Anthony Simonsen, $50,000
  3. Bill O’Neill, $25,000
  4. Justin Knowles, $15,000

Full standings are available here.

More information on the 2025 USBC Masters is available here.