EJ Tackett Ends Title Drought with Victory at PBA Shark Championship

Tackett Claims His First Title of 2024 and 22nd Career Win

In a thrilling final at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Michigan, EJ Tackett finally broke his title drought, securing his first win of the 2024 season at the PBA Shark Championship. Tackett, who had previously reached five championship rounds this year without a victory, defeated Japan’s Shota Kawazoe 228-213 in the final match of the World Series of Bowling XV.

With this win, Tackett ties Marshall Holman for 12th on the all-time PBA titles list with 22 career wins. More importantly, he overcame the mental pressure that had built up over months of near misses.

“I’ve been so close so many times this year. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions,” Tackett said. “But today, I just had this feeling that I was ready to bowl. Maybe my grandpa, who passed away last year, was with me.”

Tackett dedicated the victory to his first-born son, who arrived in December 2023.

“Now, I don’t have to carry the pressure of winning as a dad anymore,” Tackett added. “When I got married in 2020, I went winless that year. Now, I feel like I can move forward with a fresh mindset.”

Road to the Championship

The tournament saw intense battles, starting with Matt Russo’s attempt to win back-to-back titles—something no player has accomplished since Jesper Svensson in 2020. However, Russo struggled early, allowing Kris Prather to take the opening match with a 226-198 victory.

Prather advanced to face Anthony Simonsen, and both players started strong, striking repeatedly. However, Simonsen remained more consistent and capitalized on Prather’s mistakes in the eighth and ninth frames to win 240-224.

In the semifinals, Tackett faced Simonsen, a matchup that had haunted him in previous TV appearances. This time, however, Tackett delivered eight consecutive strikes and controlled the game, finally beating Simonsen on television for the first time (253-217).

The final match was a rematch of the 2017 DHC PBA Japan Invitational between Tackett and Kawazoe. The Japanese star, hoping to become the first-ever PBA Tour winner from Japan, struggled with accuracy but remained competitive. Despite crossing over the head-pin multiple times, Kawazoe kept his game clean and forced Tackett to make crucial spares in the final frames.

“Shota is the best in Japan, and he’s proving it every time he competes,” Tackett said. “He didn’t have the best look tonight, but he fought hard. We’ll definitely see more of him in the future.”

Tackett’s commanding performance secured the PBA Shark Championship title, completing his collection of World Series of Bowling event wins, having previously won the 2017 Scorpion, 2023 Cheetah, and World Championships.

Chasing Player of the Year Honors

Tackett is currently on track to break Jason Belmonte’s 2019 scoring average record (229.39). However, he acknowledges that winning a major championship will be crucial to securing Player of the Year honors.

“Bill O’Neill and Kyle Troup have been phenomenal this season, winning major titles,” Tackett said. “For me to be in the conversation, I need to win a major. The best chance is at the World Championship, but the Tournament of Champions is another opportunity.”

Heading into the World Championship’s round-robin match play, Tackett sits in fourth place, while Russo leads the field by 209 pins. The top nine players will advance to the stepladder finals this weekend.

Championship Round Results

Final Standings & Prize Money

🥇 EJ Tackett – $20,000
🥈 Shota Kawazoe – $13,000
🥉 Anthony Simonsen – $11,000
4️⃣ Kris Prather – $9,000
5️⃣ Matt Russo – $7,000

With momentum on his side, Tackett now turns his focus to securing another major title and cementing his status as one of the greatest bowlers of his generation.

For more details on the PBA Shark Championship, visit the official PBA website.