2023 PBA Players Championship – Quarterfinals – Show 1

This show was televised on Fox Sports 1. The USBC, PBA, and FOX own all the rights, I do not. This upload is for those that don't have that channel available and would like to watch the show.
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0:00 – Intro
3:57 – Match #1 (Game 1) – McCune vs. Tackett
24:09 – Match #1 (Game 2) – McCune vs. Tackett
47:25 – Break
51:45 – Match #2 (Game 1) – Simonsen vs. Kayhko
1:08:55 – Match #2 (Game 1) – Simonsen vs. Kayhko
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The PBA Tour’s grand return to Bowlero North Brunswick in New Jersey could only have resulted in a final field rife with poetic storylines and magical homecomings.

After 48 games of qualifying, plus a one-game roll-off, the 12 finalists of the PBA Players Championship presented by Snickers have been determined.

EJ Tackett earned the No. 1 seed, shooting 10,832 (+1,232) for his 48 games on the 39-foot Carter and 45-foot Weber patterns. Though this No. 1 seed does not guarantee him a spot in the title match, he earns an unprecedented fourth major championship top seed.

Earlier this season, Tackett earned the No. 1 seed at the U.S. Open presented by Go Bowling!, PBA Tournament of Champions and PBA World Championship presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon. He won the U.S. Open and World Championship to double his career major titles tally from two to four.

Jakob Butturff, Matt Russo and Tomas Käyhkö earned the No. 2-4 seeds and will also receive a one-round bye. Butturff and Käyhkö each advance to their second major telecast of the season, while Russo returns to TV at a major for the first time since last season’s PBA Players Championship.

Russo said win or lose, this will likely be the best telecast of his career.

He grew up in Millstone Township, N.J., less than 25 miles from the site of this week’s Players Championship. Russo grew up bowling youth and high school tournaments at Bowlero North Brunswick and is sure to have family and friends pack the house on Sunday afternoon.

The bracket begins Saturday, May 6 at 10 p.m. on FS1 with the No. 5-12 seeds. The opening match features two players making their PBA television debut, though two players have plenty of familiarity with bowling on TV.

No. 8 Zac Tackett — EJ Tackett’s younger brother — will face No. 9 Kevin McCune, the son of three-time PBA Tour champion Eugene McCune and grandson of former PBA Player of the Year Don McCune.

On Saturday, Zac will bowl on his first career PBA major telecast in the very same building EJ made his own major telecast debut at the 2014 USBC Masters. And if Zac defeats McCune, the brothers will go head to head on Sunday.

The second match pits No. 5 Chris Via against No. 12 Anthony Simonsen. Via left a 4-9 split in his final frame, which proved to be the difference as Käyhkö earned the final bye by just 10 pins.

Simonsen earned the final spot on Saturday’s telecast by defeating Jason Belmonte in a one-game roll-off. Belmonte doubled in his 10th frame, but left a 4-pin on his fill ball and opened the door for Simonsen.