Tackett wins 22nd career title at PBA Shark Championship, Prize Money

Tackett defeated Kawazoe, 228-213, to wins the 2024 PBA Shark Championship title, prize money breakdown.

In his sixth championship round appearance of the 2024 season, EJ Tackett finally emerged with the title at Strobl Arena inside Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich. 

Tackett defeated Shota Kawazoe, 228-213, in the PBA Shark Championship title match as part of the World Series of Bowling XV.

Tackett earned his 22nd career title, tying Marshall Holman for 12th on the all-time list, and first of the 2024 season.

The fifth-seeded Matt Russo's quest to win back-to-back titles — a feat no player has achieved since Jesper Svensson in 2020 — began with back-to-back open frames against Kris Prather. Prather strung a three-bagger and converted all three 10-pin leaves to win 226-198.

Prather and the No. 3 seed Anthony Simonsen each fired nothing but strikes before the break of the second match, though both left 10-pins in their first shot afterwards. Simonsen immediately returned to his striking ways while Prather left a 4-pin and 9-pin in his eighth and ninth frames, respectively.

Simonsen opened in the 10th frame after leaving the 3-4-6-7-10 split to shoot 240, allowing Prather an opportunity to strike twice on the pesky right lane to steal the win. The one-hander, a welcome sight for the traditionalists after Tuesday’s all-two-handed stepladder finals, instead left a 3-6-10 to lose 240-224.

Simonsen jumped almost five boards left to start his semifinal match against Tackett, resulting in three 10-pins in the first five frames. Tackett, meanwhile, was off to the races and struck eight consecutive times from the second through ninth frame.

For the first time in Tackett’s career, he defeated Simonsen on television with a 253-217 win.

2024 PBA Shark Championship, Title Games Round Scores

Match 1: No. 4 Kris Prather def. No. 5 Matt Russo, 226-198

Match 2: No. 3 Anthony Simonsen def. No. 4 Kris Prather, 240-224

Match 3: No. 2 EJ Tackett def. No. 3 Anthony Simonsen, 253-217

Championship: No. 2 EJ Tackett def. No. 1 Shota Kawazoe, 228-213

PBA Shark Championship, Prize Money, Payout, Final Standings

1. EJ Tackett, $20,000

2. Shota Kawazoe, $13,000

3. Anthony Simonsen, $11,000

4. Kris Prather, $9,000

5. Matt Russo, $7,000

6th - $5,000

7th - $5,000

8th - $5,000

9th - $3,500

10th - $3,500

11th - $3,500

12th - $3,500

13th - $3,500

14th - $3,500

15th - $3,500

16th - $3,500

17th - $2,000

18th - $2,000

19th - $2,000

20th - $2,000

21st - $2,000

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