Kyle Troup Clinches 10th Career Title at PBA Tour Finals

A Dream Realized After 16 Years on Tour

Kyle Troup has officially solidified his place in professional bowling history, capturing his 10th career PBA title at the PBA Tour Finals in Arlington, Washington. The North Carolinian, who followed in his father Guppy Troup’s footsteps, dominated Kris Prather in the championship match at Strikerz Bowling, sweeping him 2-0 with outstanding scores of 268 and 266.

With this victory, Troup now meets the career milestone required for eligibility in the PBA Hall of Fame once he reaches 20 years of service.

“I had to not think about the Hall of Fame the last few frames,” Troup said, visibly emotional after the win. “With the season that I’ve had, making the switch to grips… that’s number 10. It’s special.”

Overcoming a Challenging Season

While Troup achieved his preseason goal of winning his 10th title, the road to victory was anything but smooth. After finishing as the runner-up at the U.S. Open, he struggled to find consistency, managing only two additional top-10 finishes before the Tour Finals.

This year’s performance closely resembled his 2022 season, when he bounced back from a disappointing regular season to claim the PBA Playoff title.

“It just goes to show the fight that I have,” Troup reflected. “Sticking to the process during tough times really paid off.”

Troup also credited his ability to adjust, mentioning a valuable tip from Eric Krauss and his friend Andy, which helped him in crucial moments.

Dramatic Showdown Against EJ Tackett

Troup’s journey to the championship was far from easy. He first had to battle EJ Tackett, who had dominated the season with five titles and was aiming to become the first player since 1993 to win six in a single season.

Tackett won the opening game of their Race-to-Two match, but a costly 10-pin miss in the 10th frame gave Troup an opening. Troup seized the moment with a clutch triple in the 10th frame, forcing a two-frame roll-off, which he won 48-40.

“I did remember yesterday that he left a 10-pin after sticking on the approach, so maybe there was a chance,” Troup recalled. “But I still didn’t expect him to miss it.”

Kris Prather’s Path to the Finals

On the other side of the bracket, Kris Prather climbed the Group 2 stepladder with wins over Anthony Simonsen, Packy Hanrahan, and defending champion Jason Belmonte.

Belmonte, a 31-time PBA champion and 15-time major winner, nearly pulled off a comeback, firing a perfect 300 game in Game 2 of their match. However, Prather held his nerve, capitalizing on a 10-pin leave from Belmonte in the roll-off to advance to the finals.

With the win, Prather improved to a perfect 4-0 in televised matches against Belmonte.

Troup’s Championship Dominance

In the final match, nothing could stop Troup—not even a literal shark. The two-handed powerhouse delivered back-to-back near-perfect games of 268 and 266, sweeping Prather and securing the coveted title.

“Guppy better start working on his speech,” Troup joked, hinting at his father’s likely Hall of Fame induction speech in the future.

Final Standings and Prize Money

1. Kyle Troup – $30,000
2. Kris Prather – $15,000
3. Jason Belmonte – $8,000
4. EJ Tackett – $8,000
5. Packy Hanrahan – $6,000
6. Dom Barrett – $6,000
7. Anthony Simonsen – $5,000
8. Jakob Butturff – $5,000

With this monumental victory, Troup not only cements his legacy but also heads into the next month brimming with confidence. As he put it, “A lot of the hard work has really paid off.”