Top 8 Remaining - Svensson and Via Complete Quarterfinals Field at 2025 PBA Playoffs

Chris Via celebrates Round 1 win at the 2025 PBA Playoffs. — Chris Via | Picture credit: Professional Bowlers Association (PBA)

The Round 1 action of the 2025 PBA Playoffs wrapped up in Allen Park, Michigan, with Jesper Svensson and Chris Via joining the final eight players in the quarterfinals. Their wins at Thunderbowl Lanes secured the last two spots in the next stage of the competition. Jesper Svensson faced Jakob Butturff in a close match that mirrored their recent battle at the Tournament of Champions. This time, Butturff took the first game with a 200-192 win. But Svensson bounced back with a narrow 199-197 victory in Game 2, which forced a two-frame roll-off. Svensson delivered four clutch strikes and won the roll-off 60-39, securing his place in the quarterfinals. He will now meet Andrew Anderson, the No. 2 seed.

In the second match of the night, Chris Via overcame a tough start against Ryan Barnes. After dropping the first game 279-188, Via recovered with a strong 234-185 performance in Game 2. He then struck on his first three shots in the roll-off, winning it 59-40. That comeback set up a high-profile quarterfinal against Jason Belmonte, the No. 3 seed. Earlier in Round 1, Anthony Simonsen beat Ethan Fiore in two straight games, and Kyle Troup swept past Tim Foy Jr. Both Simonsen and Troup now move on to face Tackett and Fach respectively.

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This year’s PBA Playoffs includes the top 12 bowlers in points. Tackett leads the pack with an impressive 34,690 points—more than the second and third-ranked players combined. Tackett, Andrew Anderson, Jason Belmonte, and Graham Fach all earned byes to the quarterfinals due to their top 4 rankings.

The quarterfinals take place next weekend, followed by the semifinals on May 18. The Playoffs will wrap up with a live championship match on May 24, using a Race-to-Three format.