Santtu Tahvanainen Claims First PBA Tour Title at Owen’s Illinois Classic
A new champion has emerged in the world of professional bowling, as Santtu Tahvanainen of Finland won his first PBA Tour title at the Owen’s Illinois Classic held at Bowlero Vernon Hills in Vernon Hills, Illinois, on Saturday night.
Tahvanainen, who was crowned the 2022 PBA Rookie of the Year, defeated Chris Via in the championship match with a score of 186-155. The victory marks a major milestone in his career, earning him the $30,000 top prize and placing him among an elite group of Finnish bowlers to win a PBA title. Tahvanainen joins Mika Koivuniemi and Osku Palermaa as the third Finnish player to accomplish this feat.
“I feel like every bowler who starts bowling and comes over here, they dream of this moment,” said a visibly emotional Tahvanainen. “I come over to win, but actually having this moment is pretty special.”
In a heartfelt moment, Tahvanainen expressed deep respect for his Finnish predecessors, Koivuniemi and Palermaa. “It’s a good aim to aim higher than them and to dream even bigger,” he said. “That is 100% my goal.”
The victory is not only a personal triumph for the 28-year-old, but it also represents the culmination of years of dedication to the sport. Tahvanainen’s success has been built on his unique ability to approach the game with a lighthearted and joyful attitude, which has earned him the admiration of fellow competitors and professionals on the tour.
Brett Spangler, Motiv’s tour rep and a close ally of Tahvanainen, fondly remembers the first shot the Finnish bowler threw on the PBA Tour during the 2022 PBA World Series of Bowling. “There are people that, for one reason or another, stand out as remarkable. He’s on a really short list of those people,” Spangler said, comparing him to other standout bowlers like EJ Tackett and Marshall Kent.
Tahvanainen’s positive energy and carefree demeanor have made him a fan favorite on tour, with Spangler noting that his approach to the sport is something rare. “He feels like being light-hearted and having fun is the way that he best processes what he's seeing on the lanes,” Spangler said. “It’s something that sets him apart.”
Championship Round Recap
The road to the title was filled with drama and tense moments, as the challenging 42-foot Salvino pattern — named after PBA founding member and Hall of Famer Carmen Salvino — tested the players' adaptability.
In the opening match, Tim Foy Jr. defeated Matt Ogle 217-168. Foy continued his strong run with a victory over Sean Rash in match two, 242-190. In the semifinal, Chris Via capitalized on a late mistake by Foy to win 212-202 and advance to the final.
In the title match, neither Tahvanainen nor Via could find consistent strikes early on. However, Tahvanainen managed to string together two consecutive doubles, the most by any player in the championship round. Despite Via’s best efforts, including a ball change after losing reaction on the right side of the lane, he was unable to catch Tahvanainen, who sealed his victory with a 186-155 performance.
“I made a couple blind guesses there, hoping I stumbled into something really, really good,” Via said. “I executed the way I wanted to, but Santtu bowled a great game, and you’ve got to tip your hat to him.”
Looking Ahead
Tahvanainen’s win has put him on the radar as one of the PBA’s rising stars. In his young career, he has already reached the championship round six times in just 24 events, a 25% success rate that speaks to his potential. "Based on those early numbers, I think Santtu gets to pick his ceiling," Spangler commented.
Looking forward, Tahvanainen is confident in his ability to compete on long patterns, and he’s hoping to follow up his victory with another strong performance in the upcoming tournaments. “Next week, we bowl on a long pattern and I’m really confident about it,” he said. “Hopefully we can even go back-to-back. That’s definitely what we’re aiming for.”
Final Standings:
- Santtu Tahvanainen - $30,000
- Chris Via - $18,000
- Sean Rash - $13,000
- Tim Foy Jr. - $10,000
- Matt Ogle - $9,000
For more details on the PBA Owen’s Illinois Classic, visit the official PBA website.
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