April 19, 2026 Nolan Hughes

For the first time in their careers, Zach Wilkins and AJ Chapman can call themselves PBA Tour champions.

Wilkins and Chapman won the Owen's Craft Mixers PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship, held at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine.

The duo defeated Sean and Anthony Lavery-Spahr in the Race-to-Two championship match, winning by margins of 216-201 and 247-218.

“It feels like the weight has just been lifted off your shoulders,” Wilkins said. “You picture that moment in practice of what it's going to be like to throw the last shot. You worked so hard to have that moment. It may not have looked like I was nervous, but, man, I was. My heart was pounding, but we got it done.”

“Ten years on tour, and 30 years of work, man,” Chapman added. “I’ve got everybody to thank. I've got so many people I want to talk to. I don't know what to feel. I don't know what to say. I'm just loving every moment of this. This relationship is something special.”

 

Thirty-two teams were invited to compete in this year’s PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship. Players were invited and seeded based on their standing in points through the USBC Masters on March 29.

Four teams advanced to the championship round by winning three matches in the single-elimination match play bracket, which took place on Thursday and Friday. All matches prior to the televised championship round were the best of seven games.

While the number of games was reduced to a single game for the semifinals and a Race-to-Two for the championship match, the baker doubles format continued.

The Lavery-Spahr brothers defeated Eric Jones and Deo Benard in the first semifinal match of the championship round, 254-238.

The left-handers struggled with carry in the first half, leaving two single-pins and a split while not missing the pocket.

The actual twins started with four straight strikes before converting three consecutive spares. Anthony and Sean struck on their next four shots to shut out Jones and Benard.

 

Chapman and Wilkins were nearly perfect in the second semifinal, striking on 10 of 12 shots.

They needed each and every one of them to defeat Santtu Tahvanainen and Ethan Fiore, the only team composed of two prior PBA Tour champions.

The powerful two-handed righties also fired 10 strikes, but Tahvanainen’s missed 6-10 spare attempt in the third frame ultimately cost them in a high-scoring 268-256 match.

 

The championship match pitted Chapman against his former doubles teammate in Sean Lavery-Spahr after the two amicably parted ways this season.

“It was like the dream scenario,” Chapman said. “I wish everybody could win at that point. I feel for both of my guys. I love Anthony and Sean very much. I've known them for a long, long time. I'm super proud of them and how well they bowled, especially Anthony, basically coming out of retirement. But unfortunately, someone's got to lose in that situation.”

The twins took the early lead in the first game of the Race-to-Two championship match, but back-to-back open frames in the sixth and seventh proved to be their downfall.

Needing a win in Game 2 to avoid a ninth and 10th frame roll-off, Chapman and Wilkins fired seven of eight strikes to start the second game.

The tour veterans were beginning to taste the long-awaited champagne celebration.

But in the ninth frame, Chapman channeled his inner Del Ballard Jr. and threw his first shot in the, well, channel.

Chapman also guttered with a chance to win a game earlier in the tournament. He responded the same way he did in match play, converting the spare with the resilience of a champion and the confidence supplied by his teammate's unwavering belief.

“(Zach) still believes in me. He knows that I'm not going to do that again. I'm going to get there and throw a good shot. Thankfully, I got it done that time.”

Wilkins still held a miniscule max score advantage of 250-249 as he awaited the Lavery-Spahr brothers to finish their final frames. 

The brothers said their mantra for the week was whatever is meant to be, will be. Unfortunately for them, Wilkins and Chapman were meant to become PBA Tour champions.

Sean and Anthony each spared in their final frame, leaving Wilkins with the task of knocking over a mere five pins — a spectacular and apropos coincidence as the Canadian began his bowling career as a five-pin bowler.

Wilkins took no chances, heaved his spare ball down the middle of the lane, and struck to clinch he and Chapman’s first career title.

 

The PBA Tour powered by Go Bowling continues next week with the PBA Tournament of Champions in Fairlawn, Ohio.

Chapman has bowled in the TOC before, having been a PBA Regional Tour champion and advanced out of the pre-tournament qualifier.

Wilkins, however, did not win his first regional title until late last year. His only experience at the famed AMF Riviera Lanes was four shots as part of the PBA Elite League in 2024.

“It's going to be awesome being able to step foot in that building and say that I'm a PBA Tour champion,” Wilkins said. 

Championship Round Results

Semifinal 1
No. 28 Lavery-Spahr/Lavery-Spahr def. No. 8 Jones/Benard, 254-238

Semifinal 2
No. 14 Wilkins/Chapman def. No. 15 Tahvanainen/Fiore, 268-256

Championship Match (Race-To-Two)
Game 1: Wilkins/Chapman def. Lavery-Spahr/Lavery-Spahr, 216-201
Game 2: Wilkins/Chapman def. Lavery-Spahr/Lavery-Spahr, 247-218

Final Standings
  1. Zach Wilkins and AJ Chapman, $50,000/team
  2. Sean Lavery-Spahr and Anthony Lavery-Spahr, $30,000/team
  3. Eric Jones and Deo Benard, $18,000/team
  4. Santtu Tahvanainen and Ethan Fiore, $18,000/team

Complete standings from the 2026 Owen's Craft Mixers PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship are available here.