2024 TBA21 National Masters Preview
By Matt Stevens
The 2024 TBA21 National Masters begins Saturday at the AGL National High-Performance Centre on the Sunshine Coast, where our next youth champions will be crowned on the 27 October.
This event marks the third of four nationally ranked TBA Youth Division events for 2024 and serves as the second and final competition of the TBA National Youth Championships, following the conclusion of the TBA21 National Teams Challenge on Friday.
The Teams Challenge is closely tied to the Masters, as the top four All-Stars from the challenge have earned automatic entry into Stage 2 of the Masters.
All other bowlers will begin in Stage 1, bowling a total of 8 games in one qualifying appearance. The top 12 males and top 12 females, based on scratch pinfall, will advance to Stage 2, where pinfall resets.
In Stage 2, the top 4 All-Stars from the Teams Challenge will join the qualifiers, forming a field of 16 bowlers in each division. The bowlers will be divided into two groups of 8, with the All-Stars receiving the top four seeds (1-4), and the top 12 qualifiers being seeded 5-12.
Each group will compete in 7 round-robin matches, with 3 points awarded for a win and 1 for a tie. The top 2 bowlers from each group will move on to the Final Four semi-finals.
From the semi-finals onward, the matches will be best-of-three games, with the winners advancing to the grand final, where we will crown the 2024 champions.
This year’s TBA Youth Ranked Event Series is at its third stop, and the race for the title is wide open.
Last year’s male champion, Blake Walsh, will not be competing as he is currently in the USA on a bowling scholarship at Mount Mercy University, leaving the field open for other top contenders. In the female division, top-ranked Emily Hart is also absent, creating an opportunity for bowlers like Hannah Clark to close the gap in the rankings. Defending female champion Tamika Pettigrew will be back to defend her title on home turf.
Now in its 22nd edition, the TBA21 National Masters began in 2003, with renowned champions Jason Belmonte and Toni Woodcock winning the inaugural titles.
Tenpin Bowling Australia wishes all participants the best of luck and high scores throughout the weekend!
TBA21 NATIONAL MASTERS
PAST CHAMPIONS
| YEAR | MEN | WOMEN |
| 2003 | Jason Belmonte (NSW) | Toni Woodcock (WA) |
| 2004 | Brandon Qualischefski (Qld) | Clair Johnston (SA) |
| 2005 | Michael Zentveld (Qld) | Michelle Halprin (NT) |
| 2006 | Christopher Barratt (WA) | Jayde Flanagan (NT) |
| 2007 | Glen Loader (Vic) | Clair Johnston (SA) |
| 2008 | Christopher Barratt (WA) | Cassie Staudinger (Vic) |
| 2009 | Andrew Tonkin (Vic) | Lexi Nicoll (NSW) |
| 2010 | Kevin McRae (NSW) | Lexi Nicoll (NSW) |
| 2011 | Michael Craig (ACT) | Rebecca Whiting (Vic) |
| 2012 | Sam Cooley (NSW) | Rebecca Whiting (Vic) |
| 2013 | Paul White (Vic) | Nicole Williams (WA) |
| 2014 | Jarrod Langford (Qld) | Sarah Terry (NSW) |
| 2015 | Lachlan Merchant (VIC) | Xin Yi Oh (SING) |
| 2016 | Blayne Fletcher (Qld) | Rebekah Commane (Vic) |
| 2017 | Jarrod Langford (Qld) | Rebekah Commane (Vic) |
| 2018 | Owen Wong Wen Fei (SSS) | Jodie Kos (ACT) |
| 2019 | Jordan Dinham (NSW) | Chloe Jones (QLD) |
| 2020 | Callum Borck (WA) | Chloe Jones (QLD) |
| 2021 | Mitchell Williams (QLD) | Ivy Dickinson (QLD) |
| 2022 | Connor Renton (QLD) | Grace Fahy (VIC) |
| 2023 | Blake Walsh (NSW) | Tamika Pettigrew (QLD) |
| 2024 | ? | ? |
