March 5, 2026 Nolan Hughes

U.S. Open standings through 24 games

Michael Davidson is leading the 108-player major championship field through 36 games, averaging more than 223 to reach a total pinfall of 5,357 (+557).

Ethan Fiore ranks second, while Anthony Simonsen, AJ Johnson and Tim Foy Jr. round out the top five at Royal Pin Woodland in Indianapolis.

The defending Go Bowling U.S. Open champion EJ Tackett ranks seventh. Tackett is looking for his third U.S. Open title in the past four years, a feat matched only by Dick Weber in the 1960s.

Jason Belmonte, pursuing an unprecedented second Super Slam, sits in 15th overall.

A host of additional U.S. Open champions advanced through Thursday’s cut, including Simonsen (the 2022 champion), Kyle Troup (2024), Chris Via (2021), Tommy Jones (2006), Dom Barrett (2018), and François Lavoie (2016, 2019).

Bailey Mavrick, an Indiana native, and TJ Rock were the final players to make it through the cut.

Both players competed on B-squad, the final squad to compete on Thursday. In the final game of the night, Mavrick fired 236 and Rock tallied 244 to keep their green jacket hopes alive.

The first players outside of the cut were Jesper Svensson (missed by two pins), Jason Sterner (three pins), Matt Ogle (15 pins), Boog Krol (19 pins) and Tom Smallwood (20 pins).

 

Graham Fach posted the highest series of the final round with 1,869. He started the day in 68th place at -30 and climbed all the way to 32nd at +239.

Andrew Anderson, who led this event a year ago, found himself well outside the cut number with four games to go. He rallied with games of 257, 247, 298 and 214 to advance.

Entering the final few games, Patrick Dombrowski also was in danger of missing the cut. His solution was to almost-literally not miss for two games.

Back-to-back games of 300 and 299, racking up 23 consecutive strikes, allowed the veteran to rise from outside the cut into 16th place.

 

Davidson, in search of his first career PBA Tour title, is putting his newfound Dad Strength to good use.

Davidson missed the first major of the 2026 PBA Tour powered by Go Bowling season to witness the birth of his son, Tucker. After making his season debut last week in Missouri, Davidson is now leading the U.S. Open after three rounds of qualifying.

“Bowling well makes it a little bit easier to leave home,” Davidson said. “Being away from my wife and now my son, (but) it's not an added pressure. As my son gets older, I want him to see what you can accomplish when you put your mind to something. That’s the way that I'm looking at this year and the future, is for him to see what is possible when you follow your dreams and do the best that you can.”

Davidson’s own father, Doug, is a fixture at PBA Tour events in support of Michael.

“It's good to have that extra support system,” Davidson said. “He's been around bowling his entire life. He used to compete. It's funny, he's actually shot a 300 at the U.S. Open — that was his one-up on me. Tonight, I bowled 300, so now we're tied.

“But he's never led the US Open.”

An eight-game round on a fourth and final oil pattern Friday morning will determine the 24 match play finalists.

Match play wraps up Saturday night, solidifying the five-player field for Sunday’s championship round.

All qualifying and match play rounds will be livestreamed on BowlTV.

The stepladder finals will air live at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 8 on The CW.

Tournament Schedule

Friday, March 6
8 a.m. — Official practice session — Oil Pattern #4
10 a.m. — Advancers/Cashers Round (eight games)
5 p.m. — Match Play Round 1 (eight games)

Saturday, March 7
10 a.m. — Match Play Round 2 (eight games)
5 p.m. — Match Play Round 3 (eight games)

Sunday, March 8
4 p.m. — Championship Round on The CW