EJ Tackett, a four-time PBA Player of the Year, recently completed bowling's Triple Crown at the 2023 U.S. Open in Indiana. The 33-year-old bowler was also an elite junior golfer who competed against future stars like Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas. He discussed parallels between the two sports in an interview published in Golf Journal.
EJ Tackett secured the Professional Bowlers Association's Triple Crown—the ninth man to do so—by defeating rival Kyle Troup at the 2023 U.S. Open in his home state of Indiana. In the final frame, Tackett delivered two strikes to claim victory, fulfilling one of his childhood dreams. Alongside Troup, he stars in HBO Max's documentary series “Born to Bowl.” With 27 PBA tour titles, including seven majors, Tackett is the reigning four-time Player of the Year and a future Hall of Famer candidate. He began golf at age 3 or 4, playing with his father in local skins games in Indiana. By age 12, he dominated the Pepsi Tour, winning every event one summer and qualifying for the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur and Junior PGA Championship. At the Junior PGA in Fort Wayne, he shot 85 in the first round—overshadowed by Justin Thomas's 65—then improved to 72 but missed the cut. In the Junior Amateur at Egypt Valley, Michigan, he posted mid-to-upper 70s scores, narrowly missing match play. Tackett played Division I golf at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne for three semesters before switching to bowling in 2012, citing academic and logistical challenges. He made Junior Team USA in bowling in 2011 and finished 20th at that year's U.S. Open. Tackett sees technical overlaps, like swing paths and footwork leverage, between bowling and golf. Mentally, both demand focusing on one shot at a time amid uncontrollable conditions. In 2023, despite five wins including two majors, he fell $40,000 short of $500,000 in earnings, highlighting prize money gaps with golf. PBA pros share camaraderie, caravanning and rooming together, unlike modern golf's luxury.
