2026 GIBA 11thFrame.com Open: A.J. Chapman Edges Kendric Siders for the Title
PBA Tour champion A.J. Chapman added another trophy to his 2026 season by winning the 2026 GIBA 11thFrame.com Open at Cherry Lanes inside the Diamond Jo Casino building in Dubuque, Iowa. In a tight stepladder final, Chapman edged college standout Kendric Siders 237–233 in the title match to claim the victory.
Tournament Overview and Field
Held Aug. 15–16, 2026, the 11thFrame.com Open drew a full field of 156 players for six games of qualifying on Saturday. The top 48 advanced to Sunday’s competition, with four additional players cashing based on their six-game totals.
Chapman led qualifying with a 252 average over six games, rolling 1,512 total pins to top the field. Brett Biondo finished second at 1,483, followed by Kendric Siders (1,445), Raiden Nakagawa (1,418), and Jorge Rodriguez (1,412).
The cut to advance was 1,246 pins (Evan Flath in 48th), while the last cashers finished at 1,235. Two left-handers made the cut: Brandon Kreyer (tied 32nd at 1,287) and Payton Nabak (35th at 1,282).
Sunday’s Innovative Bonus-Pin Format
Sunday featured 12 additional games with an innovative bonus-pin system designed by tournament director Mike Flanagan. In each game, bowlers earned bonus pins based on their score relative to the field: the high scorer received several bonus pins equal to the number of competitors in that game, the second-highest scorer one fewer, and so on down to one bonus pin for the lowest score.
This format rewards both high scoring and consistency across a long day, effectively turning Sunday into a 12-game match-play-plus-bonus battle. After 18 total games (six qualifying plus 12 Sunday games with bonus pins), the top five advanced to the stepladder finals on fresh oil around late afternoon.
Stepladder Finals and Title Match
The stepladder culminated in a head-to-head title match between Chapman and Siders. Both bowlers delivered under pressure, but Chapman’s clutch play in the later frames proved decisive in the 237–233 win.
The victory marked another milestone in Chapman’s breakout 2026 campaign, which already included his first PBA Tour title in the PBA Roth/Holman Doubles with partner Zach Wilkins in April.
Prize Fund and Sponsorship Context
Despite losing access to Dubuque Regional Sports Commission funding under new rules, tournament administrator Joe Engelkes maintained a strong prize fund through a combination of adjustments:
- Entry fee increased from $160 to $170 (matching Ebonite Classics).
- Increased personal sponsorship from $400 to $500, redirected into the prize fund.
Continued support from sponsors including Ebonite, Diamond Jo Casino, Cherry Lanes, Brandon Steen/The Steen Team, IAMBowling, Kwik Star/Kwik Trip, and 11thFrame.com.
With a full field of 156, the top five payouts were:
- $2,800
- $2,300
- $1,800
- $1,400
- $1,100
The remainder of the prize fund stayed essentially unchanged from prior years, with more than $3,000 in added money from sponsors.
Lane Pattern and Conditions
The 2026 event used a longer, high-volume oil pattern, continuing a trend toward more demanding conditions that test bowlers’ ability to manage friction and adjust angles over many games. This setup favors players who can read transition, control tempo, and execute spares consistently, key themes in Chapman’s performance.
Why This Matters
For serious league bowlers, the 11thFrame.com Open highlights several transferable lessons:
- Volume Reveals Reads: Six games of qualifying plus 12 games on Sunday force deep lane reads and multiple plan adjustments.
- Consistency Plus Upside Wins: The bonus-pin format rewards both high games and steady cashing; similar to how league averages and tournament totals are built over time.
- Clutch Execution: Winning a close title match comes down to spare conversions and managing the 10th frame under pressure.
You can apply these ideas in your own play by:
- Tracking spare percentage and pinfall over multi-game blocks, not just single-session average.
- Practicing one specific adjustment per game (speed, angle, or ball surface) and noting the effect.
- Simulating pressure by setting “must-make” spare targets in the final frames of practice or league.
Looking Ahead
Organizers indicated the 2027 11thFrame.com Open is expected to return on the same mid-August weekend (Aug. 13–15), keeping it as a late-summer staple on the regional/pro-am calendar. For SpareTime Bowling centers and tournament directors, the event’s blend of innovative formats, strong sponsorship, and demanding conditions offers a blueprint for creating marquee amateur events that attract top talent and deliver compelling finals.