October 7, 2026 Jill Winters

Fearless. That’s how this year’s Harry Golden PBA Rookie of the Year, Brandon Bonta, describes the incredible group that joined him to win six titles on the season – the most in PBA Tour history. He believes himself, Spencer Robarge, Austin Grammar and Alex Horton came into each tournament with the mindset they could win. They weren’t just trying to adjust to Tour life on and off the lanes.

They were already battled tested in youth and collegiate bowling. They have been in the television spotlight while competing on grueling oil patterns. This was their opportunity to take what they have learned from those valuable moments of victory and heartbreak to chase what they wanted – a PBA title. The only difference was their competition was predominantly older than them. None of that phased these young, mature champions who not only inspired each other, but also, the next generation waiting their turn.

“The rookies this year, I felt there was a different level of hunger and a desire to win than most rookie classes had ever seen. We all had the expectation knowing that we could compete at a high-level on Tour early,” Bonta said. “That helped and led to all of these rookies being successful this year.”

Bonta, who has been on Junior Team USA and Team USA, helped Wichita State University win the National Championship in 2023. Bowling on the PBA Tour became a dream of his early on when his dad got him into the sport. He fell in love with high-end competition and trying to solve the challenge presented by each oil pattern.

“Bowling is one of those things that is a good brain twister to me. It’s a ginormous puzzle that you are always trying to combat. It itches a spot in my brain that I have always liked,” the 23-year-old said. “I feel like I am a sponge when it comes to bowling. I want to learn all of the time and I think that helps when we look at so many different things every week.”

The experience he gained competing in youth and college bowling taught him how to adjust to a variety of patterns by changing his hand position, equipment or throwing it slower. To be successful at each level you need a vast skill set. He relies on those tools and his experience when he sees something a little tricky and thinks back to what worked before.

Watching fellow Shocker Ryan Barnes make his first TV stepladder finals as an amateur in 2024 - at the PBA Players Championship - provided Bonta with added confidence that his smooth and effortless game could achieve success, as well. Last year, Barnes was the Rookie of the Year setting the previous all-time rookie single-season earnings record with $113,502, which Bonta topped this season.

However, Bonta still wasn’t completely sold on bowling on the PBA Tour full-time. He really enjoyed seeking his master’s degree in sports administration. He was considering working in athletics or possibly as a bowling coach. His parents were a driving force as they reminded him that he was young, this was his dream and he had been training for this moment his whole life.

He also had countless conversations with fellow Shockers such as Francois Lavoie, Kris Prather, Packy Hanrahan and his collegiate coach. He feels being surrounded by such elite guys who still live in the area and took him under their wings showed him the ropes throughout the process, so he could be as successful as he could be in his first professional season.

“Starting with my coach Rick Steelsmith at Wichita State, I give a whole lot of credit to him because of the hours and days he has helped me through anything physically with bowling or mentally with the game. He helped me get to the point where I am. He gave me the confidence to know that I can do it myself,” Bonta said. “Also, practicing and talking to Packy Hanrahan a lot. He gave me the keys to success before I got out on Tour with what to expect, how to deal with downs in the season. All of these people telling me that I could do it really helped me to be able to accomplish what I did this year. Just the pure self-belief that I gained from that really guided me throughout the year.”

After Hanrahan won a title at the Cheetah Championship, during the World Series of Bowling XVII this year, he credited the consistent offseason practice he did with Bonta in helping him raise the trophy. Hanrahan couldn’t be happier with Bonta’s decision to give the Tour a try.

“I know how hard he works and how talented he is. He is just an all-time nice guy. He was on the fence about being a tour bowler. In the back of my head, I hoped with everything in me that his year went well because he is so good at bowling,” Hanrahan said. “In my mind, he is exactly what the sport needs. Super nice, very personable, easy to relate to. He is the guy your kids will hopefully grow up and want to be like him. He is the next generation.”

Coming into the season, Bonta’s mindset was on staying competitive and never giving up. He strived to make sure every shot counted. He knew if he stayed competitive and never gave up, he would be satisfied regardless of the final results. He capitalized on his self-belief and the beliefs of those around him week after week.

“The more we started bowling and the more success I started to have, I told myself to not shy away from those two things because it had been working. I just kept it going throughout the season,” Bonta said. “It comes from me never giving up. I never feel like I am counted out of anything. My mind thinks I am always still in the tournament, and I can throw that shot to win.”

He proved that in a moment that will always be remembered in PBA history. Bonta stormed onto the scene with an unbelievable performance in his first professional tournament, the Players Championship. He defeated this year’s Chris Schenkel Player of the Year EJ Tackett by shooting 300 in the title match for a major title, $100,000 and a $10,000 bonus for a perfect game.  

“I had nerves to get that first show out of the way then just had the confidence to keep repeating shots through the TV show like I did. I have the delusional confidence that I can make any shot in the world and at any time,” Bonta said. “I tell myself that I know I can get the job done. To be able to bowl 300 and win a PBA major, I feel like that skyrocketed my confidence throughout the whole season.”

The talented, one-handed righty’s unbelievable performance quickly caught the attention of fellow Wichita State University teammate Spencer Robarge, Austin Grammar and Alex Horton, who all came out to compete earlier than they all expected.

“I had bowled against Brandon a lot in Junior Gold growing up then we competed a lot in college. Watching him win that first event, it was a kid I had competed against and he is already having success right away,” Horton said. “I was kind of on the fence after school if I wanted to bowl or not. Obviously watching him win, I was all for it.”

Horton’s best friend, Brandon Bohn, was inspired by watching this fearless rookie class and he is ready to compete in 2027. Bohn was planning on turning pro after graduating from Webber International University. Witnessing Horton win two titles and the rest of the rookie’s shine “has not only proven to me, but a lot of other people that want to come out that anything is possible,” Bohn said.

As the season concluded, Bonta’s incredible stat line earned him a spot on the Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year ballot. For the ROY race, he received 58.78% of votes among PBA members and media. Horton and Robarge also appeared on both ballots, speaking to their phenomenal PBA debuts. Horton was second in the ROY voting at 32.97%. Among the rookies, Bonta was first in points, earnings, games, average and cashes. He established a new rookie single-season earnings record with $165,800.

“I feel like Rookie of the Year is really the crowning of the longevity of the year I had and how great it was. The cherry on top to the PBA Tour season for me,” Bonta said. “The amount of good weeks and great bowling that I had, and how long that lasted was the crowning moment. I was extremely happy and it is definitely up there as one of my top bowling accomplishments.”

Bonta had two top-5 finishes, finished in the top 10 six times and in the top 25 nine times. He cashed in 11 out of 17 tournaments. Amazingly enough in the Player of the Year race, Bonta was third in points and earnings, and second in average at 223.56 over 333 games.  

“Going into next season, keep having that self-belief that I’ve always had. Never give up and to keep fighting because you never know when things can turn,” Bonta said. “Keeping a positive attitude and telling yourself your work is going to pay off every day that you bowl, that is something that I am always going to hang my hat on when I go bowl.

Bonta has advice for anyone out there who may be hesitant, like he originally was, to commit to bowling professionally.

“If you are like me and it has been a dream of yours, just chase your dreams. It’s a pretty special feeling after you finally commit yourself to something you have always wanted to do. Have full belief in yourself and start grinding your ass off because I know that it will be worth it one day,” he said. “Just give it a try, because one day when you look back you will never have that regret of what would have happened if I had bowled professionally.”

This season for Bonta also included a pretty incredible way to celebrate his rookie debut.

“I bought an engagement ring for my girlfriend, Kaylie Nelson. We are officially engaged. That was my big purchase to myself for this year,” Bonta said. “I got to give that to her over in Sweden when I bowled the Lucky Larsen. I was excited to show her that I love her, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.”