Winning a green jacket is usually something you associate with Augusta National and a Sunday stroll among the azaleas. But in the world of professional bowling, that same piece of clothing is the ultimate symbol of survival. It represents the U.S. Open—a tournament so notoriously brutal that it makes most professional sports look like a light warm-up.
Honestly, if you weren't watching the Tackett brothers US Open qualifying rounds in late January 2025 at Royal Pin Woodland in Indianapolis, you missed one of the most absurd displays of sibling resilience in modern sports history. We're talking about EJ Tackett, a guy who is basically the Tiger Woods of the lanes right now, and his brother Zac.
They didn't just compete. They pulled off a heist.
The 185-Pin Hole
Most people look at the final standings and see EJ Tackett holding the trophy. They see the $100,000 check and his second green jacket. What they forget is that on Wednesday night of that week, EJ was dead in the water. He was in 78th place.
Seventy-eighth.
In a field where only 24 bowlers make the cut to match play, being that far down is usually a death sentence. He was 185 pins behind the cut line. To put that in perspective, he didn't just need to bowl well; he needed to be perfect while everyone else struggled.
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Then came Thursday morning. EJ started his final eight-game block with a 186. For a guy of his caliber, that’s a disaster. That 185-pin deficit? It actually got bigger. Most guys would have packed their bags. You could see the frustration, but there’s this weird thing about the Tackett DNA—they sort of thrive when the oil patterns are "flat" and the scoring is miserable.
Why the Tackett Brothers US Open Qualifying Run Was Different
While EJ was fighting for his life, his brother Zac was quietly mounting his own charge. This is where the story gets "kinda" wild. Usually, one brother is the star and the other is just... there. Not here.
Zac Tackett has spent years carving out his own space, often while dealing with the physical hurdles of epilepsy. He isn’t just "EJ’s brother." He’s a legitimate threat on the PBA Tour. During that final round of Tackett brothers US Open qualifying, Zac was actually more consistent than EJ for the first 16 games.
As the pattern shifted to the 52-foot "Big Ben" oil (which is basically like trying to bowl on a sheet of ice), both brothers decided to play an "island" line. Most of the field was trying to hook the ball from the outside or play deep inside. The Tacketts? They found a tiny strip of friction in the middle of the lane that nobody else could see.
The Numbers That Shouldn't Exist
- EJ’s Surge: After that opening 186, EJ went on a tear. He averaged over 240 for his final seven games. On a U.S. Open pattern, that is essentially impossible. He eventually made the cut by a measly 21 pins.
- Zac’s Finish: Zac didn't just hang on; he closed with games of 237, 267, 197, and 244.
- The Sibling Rivalry: When the dust settled on qualifying, Zac actually finished six pins ahead of EJ.
Imagine that. You’re the best bowler in the world (EJ), you shoot one of the greatest blocks of your life to save your tournament, and you still look up and see your younger brother beat you in the standings. That’s the Tackett house for you.
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The Mental Grind of Royal Pin Woodland
If you've never been to Royal Pin Woodland in Indy, it’s a cathedral of the sport, but it's also a house of horrors. The U.S. Open uses four different oil patterns over the course of the week. You have to be a chameleon.
EJ mentioned later that he knew the moment he started Game 2 of the final block with the front-nine strikes that he was going to make a run. It’s that "zone" athletes talk about. But for both brothers to find it at the exact same time? That’s not luck.
They work with Motiv tour rep Brett Spangler, who has known them for twenty years. Spangler’s job is basically to be a mad scientist, matching their ball surface to the changing oil. During the Tackett brothers US Open qualifying session, they were constantly switching equipment, trying to stay ahead of how the oil was breaking down.
What People Get Wrong About Zac
There’s a misconception that Zac is just along for the ride. He’s not. He finished in the top 24 of the most difficult tournament in the world. He beat out guys like Kyle Troup (the defending champion at the time) and legends who have been doing this for thirty years.
Watching the two of them navigate the "burn" (the transition when the oil gets messy) is like watching two surgeons. They don't just throw the ball hard; they manipulate the rotation in a way that allows the ball to "read" the mid-lane.
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The Aftermath: From 22nd Seed to the Title
EJ entered match play as the 22nd seed. He had 24 games of round-robin match play to climb the ladder. He went 18-6 in those matches. That is a winning percentage that should not happen against a field of 24 world-class players.
By the time the televised finals rolled around, EJ had climbed all the way to the #2 seed. He took down Chris Via in the semifinal and then dismantled Andrew Anderson in the title match, 238-184.
Anderson had led the tournament almost from the first frame of day one. He was the "rabbit" everyone was chasing. But the psychological weight of EJ Tackett looming in the rearview mirror is real. When EJ makes a run like he did during the Tackett brothers US Open qualifying phase, the rest of the field starts looking over their shoulders.
Actionable Insights for Your Own Game
You probably aren't bowling for a $100,000 check this weekend, but there’s a lot to learn from how the Tacketts handled Indy.
- Forget the Bad Frame: EJ started with a 186. He was 78th. If he had dwelled on the first game, he never would have shot the 240+ average he needed. In your league or local tournament, the first game is a data point, not a destiny.
- Find the "Island": Sometimes following the crowd is the worst thing you can do. The Tacketts played where others wouldn't, which kept their ball reaction predictable while everyone else was guessing.
- Physicality Matters: The U.S. Open is 56 games in a week. EJ and Zac are both in incredible shape. If your legs give out in the third game of your league night, your accuracy goes with them.
- The "Plus" Mentality: In the U.S. Open, you aren't playing against the guy on the next lane; you're playing against the pattern. The goal is to stay "plus" (over a 200 average). Both brothers focused on grinding out spares when the strikes weren't there, which kept them within striking distance for their big runs.
The 2025 U.S. Open will be remembered for EJ’s second green jacket, but the real story was the Thursday afternoon when two brothers from Indiana refused to go home. They turned a 185-pin deficit into a masterclass.
Check your local PBA schedule or BowlTV archives to watch the specific ball motions the Tacketts used during the 52-foot pattern block. Pay close attention to their hand positions at the point of release; EJ often "flattens" his hand to keep the ball from over-reacting on the backend, a technique that was crucial for his qualifying comeback.