Bowl Winkle’s Pro Shop Open Presented by Bloomfield Electric
Callahan’s Bowl-O-Rama – February 28–March 1, 2026
204 Entries | 48 Match Play Finalists
Pattern: 2025 PBA Webb (37’, 27.7 mL, 4.23:1)
Originally scheduled for January 24–25 before winter weather forced a postponement, the rescheduled Bowl Winkle’s Pro Shop Open delivered one of the largest and most competitive fields of the early 2026 season. A total of 204 entries filled Callahan’s Bowl-O-Rama, taking on the demanding 37-foot PBA Webb pattern — a condition known for rewarding control, patience, and precise shot-making.
With a short pattern and aggressive transition expected throughout the weekend, players were forced to carefully manage the lane fronts while controlling downlane reaction. Urethane quickly became a popular choice as the event progressed, and by the time the 48-player match play bracket began, the scoring pace was high but every miss carried serious consequences.
After an intense day of match play that saw multiple former champions and rising contenders make deep runs, it was Tom Coco who ultimately stood tallest — capturing the championship and earning the fifth NEBA title of his career.
This event also served as a qualifying round for the $10,000 Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series, with the top eight finishers advancing to the Survivor Rounds later this season.
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MATCH PLAY BREAKDOWN
48 bowlers advanced into the single-elimination match play bracket, with the top-16 players receiving a one-round bye.
Tom Coco’s Road to the Championship
Round of 48
Tom Coco def. Kyle Wilks, 216–203
Round of 32
Tom Coco def. Tony Macchietto, 258–222
Round of 16
Tom Coco def. Kevin Thibeault, 223–203
Quarterfinals
Tom Coco def. Gary Kurensky, 246–211
Semifinals
Tom Coco def. Aaron Major, 246–237
Championship Match
Tom Coco def. Tommy Kumlin, 246–215
Throughout match play, Coco demonstrated the consistency and shot-making that has defined his recent NEBA success. Navigating the Webb pattern with controlled urethane ball motion, he repeatedly filled frames while taking advantage of key strike opportunities late in games.
Other standout performances included Tommy Kumlin’s impressive run to the championship match as the #9 seed, Aaron Major’s semifinal appearance, and Gary Kurensky Jr.’s deep push into the final four.
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CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RECAP – COCO vs. KUMLIN
The title match featured two players who had battled through the bracket with confidence and momentum. Tom Coco entered the match seeking his fifth NEBA title, while Tommy Kumlin was looking to capture the first title of his career after an outstanding day of match play.
Both competitors relied on urethane equipment to control the short pattern, with Kumlin throwing the Black Hammer 78U and Coco countering with the IQ 78U.
Coco opened the match with a strike before leaving a single pin in the second frame, which he cleanly converted. Kumlin kept pace early, filling frames and generating a few light-mixing strikes that kept the match close through the opening frames.
As the middle frames approached, Kumlin began to build momentum with a string of strikes that pushed him into the early lead. Coco, however, stayed patient and continued filling frames — converting every spare opportunity while waiting for the pair to settle.
The turning point arrived when Coco began to string strikes together late in the game, putting together a crucial run that applied immediate pressure on Kumlin.
With the match tightening heading into the ninth frame, Kumlin appeared poised to keep the pressure on but was met with a light 8-10 split — a break that immediately swung the match in Coco’s favor.
Kumlin would go on to fill his frame with a spare-strike combination, but the ninth-frame split ultimately became the turning point of the match.
Coco stepped up needing only a fill in the tenth frame to secure the victory. Delivering under pressure, he struck and closed out the championship with a final score of 246–215.
With the victory secured, Coco raised his career NEBA title count to five — another milestone for one of the association’s most consistent competitors in recent seasons.
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TOP PAYOUTS
1st – Tom Coco: $1,350 + $125 TOC Entry
2nd – Tommy Kumlin: $900
T-3rd – Aaron Major & Gary Kurensky Jr.: $675 each
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HIGH SCORES AND NOTABLES
High Qualifier
Stephen Major – 1250
High Senior Out of the Money
Mark Bouchard – 1039
Storm / Roto Grip / 900 Global Ball Winners
Kevin Kareliussen – 1102
Jay Johnson – 1099
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HALL OF FAME COMPETITORS IN THE FIELD
Several NEBA Hall of Fame members competed in this year’s Bowl Winkle’s Pro Shop Open.
Chris Forry
Joey Transue
John Kirker
Bill Webb
Ryan Graywacz
Michael Lichstein
RJ Broege
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VINCENT HALL MEMORIAL CUP SERIES UPDATE
The Bowl Winkle’s Pro Shop Open served as a qualifying event for the $10,000 Vincent Hall Memorial Cup Series.
The top eight finishers advancing to the Survivor Rounds later this season:
Tom Coco
Tommy Kumlin
Aaron Major
Gary Kurensky Jr.
Stephen Major
Kevin Thibeault
Mike Lichstein
John Waitt
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THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS
NEBA would like to extend a sincere thank you to Bowl Winkle’s Pro Shop for sponsoring the event, along with Roger Baral and Bloomfield Electric for their generous $1,500 added contribution to the prize fund.
A special thank you goes to Callahan’s Bowl-O-Rama, the Callahan family, and the entire center staff for hosting a fantastic weekend of competition and providing an outstanding environment for one of the season’s largest events.
We also thank Storm, Roto Grip, and 900 Global for their continued support as NEBA’s official season sponsors.
Finally, thank you to our NEBA members and competitors whose passion and commitment continue to make NEBA one of the strongest and most respected tournament organizations in the country.
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WATCH THE FULL COVERAGE
The full championship match and the live champions interview are available on the NEBA YouTube channel.
Youtube.com/BowlNEBA
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ON DECK
LIA Cars Singles Event
SpareTime Northampton
March 21–22, 2026
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KEEP UP WITH NEBA
Full Calendar – BowlNEBA.com/Tournaments
Stats & Records – BowlNEBA.com/Stats
Hall of Fame – BowlNEBA.com/Hall-of-Fame
Champions History – BowlNEBA.com/History/Champions
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