Tackett’s Dominant WSOB Continues, Earns Top Seed in PBA Shark Championship

EJ Tackett moves one step closer towards becoming the first player to make every PBA World Series of Bowling (WSOB) XVI championship round since Sean Rash in 2011.

The two-time reigning PBA Player of the Year made the PBA Scorpion, Viper and Chameleon Championship finals each of the past three nights.

On Wednesday, Tackett earned the top seed for the PBA Shark Championship stepladder finals. He will await one of Packy Hanrahan, Tim Foy Jr., Tom Smallwood and Jesper Svensson in the championship match.

The PBA Shark Championship finals will air live on FS1 and the FOX Sports app at 4 p.m. Pacific/local (7 p.m. Eastern) time at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. International viewers can watch via BowlTV.

Tackett qualified second behind Malaysia’s Ahmad Muaz during the 12-game qualifying round last week. He defeated Jean Perez in the Round of 16 of the elimination bracket, featuring best-of-five-games matches, before overcoming an 0-2 deficit to 18-year-old Landin Jordan in the Round of 8.

Tackett, the defending PBA Shark Championship winner, has yet to win a title so far in the PBA WSOB XVI.

Hanrahan qualified third before dispatching Ryan Barnes and Justin Knowles in match play. The two-time PBA Tour champion has yet to win a title on television, but there is perhaps no greater stage to do so than the National Bowling Stadium.

Foy advanced to the fourth championship round of his breakout season with wins over Nu'Man Syahmi Yusri, Ahad Muaz and Jason Belmonte. Foy, who won four titles last season in the PBA East Region, is still searching for his first career PBA Tour title.

Smallwood, who won the PBA World Championship in the first WSOB, snagged the No. 4 seed with wins over François Lavoie, Matt Ogle and Jesper Svensson.

Smallwood survived his Round of 16 match against Ogle after Ogle left a stone-9-pin in the final shot of Game 5.

The Michigan native will see Svensson in a rematch to start tonight’s stepladder finals. Svensson, who qualified fourth, earned the No. 5 seed as the highest-seeded qualifier who lost in the Round of 8.

Svensson defeated his PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship partner, Kyle Troup, in a thrilling five-game match. Four of Svensson’s five games were above 255, including his 299 in Game 3.

The PBA Shark Championship stepladder finals will begin at 4 p.m. Pacific/local (7 p.m. Eastern) time, airing live on FS1 and the FOX Sports app. International viewers can watch via BowlTV.

Round of 16 Results

No. 17 Tim Foy Jr. def. No. 1 Ahmad Muaz, 3-1
No. 9 Jason Belmonte def. No. 8 Ben Robinson, 3-2

No. 2 EJ Tackett def. No. 18 Jean Perez, 3-0
No. 23 Landin Jordan def. No. 7 Jakob Butturff, 3-0

No. 3 Packy Hanrahan def. No. 19 Ryan Barnes, 3-2
No. 6 Justin Knowles def. No. 11 Chris Via, 3-1

No. 4 Jesper Svensson def. No. 13 Kyle Troup, 3-2
No. 21 Tom Smallwood def. No. 5 Matt Ogle, 3-2

Round of 8 Results

No. 2 EJ Tackett def. No. 23 Landin Jordan, 3-2
No. 3 Packy Hanrahan def. No. 6 Justin Knowles, 3-1
No. 17 Tim Foy Jr. def. No. No. 9 Jason Belmonte, 3-1
No. 21 Tom Smallwood def. No. 4 Jesper Svensson, 3-1

Championship Round Scores

Match One: No. 4 Tom Smallwood vs. No. 5 Jesper Svensson
Match Two: winner vs. No. 3 Tim Foy Jr.
Match Three: winner vs. No. 2 Packy Hanrahan
Championship: winner vs. No. 1 EJ Tackett

Full standings and match results are available here.