Jesper Svensson Claims PBA Playoffs 2025 Title in Thrilling Victory Over EJ Tackett

In a thrilling conclusion at Strobl Arena within Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Michigan, Jesper Svensson outbowled top-seeded EJ Tackett to claim the PBA Playoffs title, marking the final FOX telecast of the season. Svensson triumphed in a 3-1 victory in the Race-to-Three final, securing his second consecutive championship after winning the PBA Tournament of Champions the previous month. This victory positions the Swedish bowler alongside Tackett as the only players with multiple titles this season.

Reflecting on his recent successes, Svensson described the past few months as some of the most significant in his career. “Early this year, I struggled, but I regrouped, stayed resilient, and pushed through,” he said. “That determination was crucial to ending the season on such a high note.” His drive was fueled by a desire to redeem last year’s runner-up finish to Boog Krol in the PBA Playoffs, inspired by his turnaround at the 2024 Storm Lucky Larsen Masters, where he won the title in Sweden after placing second the year before.

The championship match, bowled on a dual-lane setup with the 37-foot Bat pattern on the left and the 44-foot Hardwick pattern on the right, saw Svensson take an early 2-0 lead. He narrowly won Game 1, 217-208, and sealed Game 2 with four straight strikes for a 225-220 victory. Tackett fought back in Game 3, delivering eight strikes in his final nine shots to win 246-216, keeping his hopes alive. In the decisive Game 4, both bowlers combined for 11 strikes through seven frames, with Svensson holding a slight edge. Tackett’s spares in the eighth and ninth frames opened the door for Svensson to secure the win with two single-pin conversions and a final strike, finishing 246-226.

Svensson credited his success to a strategic approach developed with Storm tour representative Tim Mack. “Tim and I crafted a solid plan during practice,” he said. “I have complete faith in his guidance, no matter how unconventional it might seem.”

Tackett, the tournament’s top seed with 34,690 competition points—more than the combined totals of second-placed Andrew Anderson (18,120) and third-placed Jason Belmonte (15,365)—earned a bye to the quarterfinals. He advanced past Anthony Simonsen and Graham Fach to reach the final. Despite his strong performance, Tackett couldn’t overcome the early deficit. “Bowling can hinge on a single shot or unlucky break,” Tackett reflected. “A couple of shots could’ve flipped the match, but Jesper bowled better today. I gave it my all and can’t dwell on it.”

Svensson, ranked seventh in competition points, navigated a challenging path to the final, defeating Jakob Butturff, Andrew Anderson, and Chris Via. His earlier matches saw an average of just 206, with only one game above 205—a 248 in the semifinal-clinching game. “I felt I was finding my rhythm as the rounds progressed,” Svensson said. “As professionals, we’re expected to improve with familiarity on the lanes, and I definitely did that here.”

The PBA Playoffs featured the top 12 players based on competition points, with Tackett, Simonsen, Belmonte, Bill O’Neill, Kyle Troup, Anderson, and Fach set to compete in the upcoming PBA Tour Finals on June 7-8.

Final Match Results

Jesper Svensson (No. 7) defeated EJ Tackett (No. 1), 3-1

  1. Game 1: Svensson 217, Tackett 208
  2. Game 2: Svensson 225, Tackett 220
  3. Game 3: Tackett 246, Svensson 216
  4. Game 4: Svensson 246, Tackett 226

PBA Playoffs Final Standings

  1. Jesper Svensson: $100,000
  2. EJ Tackett: $50,000
  3. Graham Fach: $30,000
  4. Chris Via: $30,000
  5. Andrew Anderson: $15,000
  6. Jason Belmonte: $15,000
  7. Anthony Simonsen: $15,000
  8. Kyle Troup: $15,000
  9. Tim Foy Jr.: $7,500
  10. Ethan Fiore: $7,500
  11. Jakob Butturff: $7,500
  12. Ryan Barnes: $7,500

For more details on the PBA Tour Finals, visit the official PBA website.

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