Alan Kornspan
Believeland Media
(Alan Kornspan/Believeland Media)
Fairlawn, OH - After winning three straight matches in the step ladder finals, Marshall Kent took on Anthony Simonsen in the 2024 Tournament of Champions Title game in order to try to win his first major on the PBA Tour.
In a close finals match, Kent defeated Simonsen, 205-201, to claim his first PBA major championship.
(Alan Kornspan/Believeland Media)
Afterward, Kent talked about winning the 2024 Tournament of Champions.
"I had a lot of good things go my way today," said Kent. "Sometimes that's what you need to get through some matches on TV."
Kent noted that throughought the matches, that irregardless of what happened, he needed to stay focused on one shot a time.
"There is a job at hand, there is the very next shot coming up and you can't take any shot for granted," said Kent.
Kent's road to winning his first major championship was a not an easy one.
And certainly a process focused mindset in order to achieve success would be necessary.
For Kent to claim the victory, he needed to win four straight games in order to hoist the trophy over his head.
(Alan Kornspan/Believeland Media)
In Kent's first game, he faced off with Jason Sterner.
Sterner got off to a slow start as he had four straight open frames allowing Kent to take a 44 pin lead through five frames.Â
Kent then went on to win game one, 195-157 and then defeated Matt Ogle, 267-226 in game two.
In the semifinal game, Kent took on E.J. Tackett.
Kent and Tackett started off strong.
In fact, both bowlers struck on three out of their first four frames.
Halfway through the semifinal match, Kent led 138-105 after Tackett left the fifth frame open.
Kent then left the door open for Tackett by only knocking down three pins on his first ball of the ninth and then leaving the ninth frame open. However, Tackett was not able to capitalize.
Tackett needed a strike in the tenth, but threw a first ball six and then left the frame open to finish with a 192.
Kent was already at 196 in the ninth, so technically he could have thrown two gutter balls in the tenth and still advanced to the finals.
The championship game between Kent and Simonsen started close, as both bowlers were tied at 79 through four frames.
However, Kent left the fifth frame open giving Simonsen an opportunity to take the lead.
Simonsen responded with a strike, but then left himself a 3-6-10 split which he converted in the sixth to go up by 11 pins.
Simonsen then left the door open with another split in the seventh which he did not convert.
Kent responded with strikes in the seventh, eighth, and ninth frames to take a 4 pin lead heading into the tenth frame.
Simonsen, needing a double in the tenth, left a nine pin on the second ball in the tenth.
Kent then added 20 pins in the tenth to claim victory at the 2024 PBA Tournament of Champions in Akron at Riviera Lanes.
The PBA Tour now moves on to the first round of the PBA Playoffs which will take place from May 3rd through May 5th at the Angel of the Winds Casino in Arlington, Washington.
(Alan Kornspan/Believeland Media)