2025 Ranked Events

Victoria Reigns Supreme as Buxton and Smith Capture 2025 TBA50 Masters Titles

By Matt Stevens

November 10, 2025

Experience and momentum proved the difference on Monday as Victoria’s Dena Buxton and Brett Smith claimed the 2025 TBA50 National Masters titles at the TBA National High Performance Centre.

Both champions delivered stunning matchplay surges to hit the front when it mattered most, completing a memorable weekend for Victorian bowling.

Buxton Three-Peats in Style

In the women’s division, Dena Buxton etched her name deeper into Masters history with her third consecutive national crown – joining only Julie Marks (NSW) and Jeanette Baker (VIC) as bowlers to ever complete the rare feat.

Buxton began the weekend solidly, sitting third through qualifying before stepping on the accelerator in the matchplay finals. Trailing leader Mary Dodds by over 100 pins entering the final phase, Buxton unleashed seven consecutive wins and four 200+ games to storm home for the title.

Her remarkable consistency produced a final tally of 4,668, which included a perfect 140 bonus pins from her unbeaten matchplay run.

Dodds, who dominated early and a commanding top-seed position, couldn’t quite get going in the final stage and hold off Buxton’s charge, finishing runner-up on 4,434. Fellow Victorian Jenny Notman rounded out the podium in third with 4,392, making it a clean 1-2-3 sweep for Victoria.

*L-R: Mary Dodds, Dena Buxton, Jenny Notman*

Winners Journey – Dena Buxton (VIC)

Stage 1 Qualifying

236	177	177	247	160	200
163	179	202	223	170	258

Total – 2,392
Second highest qualifier after Mary Dodds

Stage 2

192

182

160

176

Running Total – 3,102
Second seed after Mary Dodds

Stage 3 – Matchplay Finals

202+20

192+20

215+20

198+20

194+20

224+20

201+20

Totals

Total Pins	4,528
Matchplay Wins/Loss	7 wins 0 losses
Bonus Pins	140
Overall Pins	4,668
High Game	258
Average	196.9

Smith Delivers Breakthrough Victory

The men’s contest game down to the wire. After an even qualifying phase that saw multiple lead changes, Brett Smith saved his best for last, producing a dramatic finish to claim the TBA50 National Masters title, his first nationally ranked event title of his career.

Smith entered matchplay among the chasers but surged into contention with three wins in his opening four games, each over 200. He continued to apply pressure on leaders Colin Ruffy and Morty Douglass, setting up a thrilling final game.

Trailing Douglass by 25 pins heading into the last match, Smith delivered under pressure – firing a 235 game (255 with bonus) to edge ahead. Douglass, despite his own victory and consistent 200+ scoring through the finals, fell just short as Smith clinched victory by 28 pins.

Smith’s final tally of 4,655 pins and five matchplay wins sealed a memorable maiden crown, joining an elite group as the sixth Victorian male to win the event in its 39-year history.

*L-R: Morty Douglass, Brett Smith, Colin Ruffy*