TAMPA, Fla. – In a scene similar to the previous night, a player who had been on the PBA Tour for more than half a dozen years won his first title Tuesday at the 2021 PBA Chameleon Championship.

Shawn Maldonado, one of the best players in the PBA’s Southwest Region, finally got his first win at the national level as he defeated Jakob Butturff, 250-202, at AMF University Lanes.

Just a night before, Sam Cooley of Australia won his first career title after six years of trying on the PBA Tour. After more than a year and a half without a first-time winner on the PBA Tour, it’s now happened on back-to-back nights.

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Both players opened the championship match with a double but it was Butturff who blinked first, leaving a pocket 7-10 split in the third frame for an open to fall behind by 24 pins.

Maldonado kept striking, including a fortunate trip four pin in the fourth, through the first six frames. In the seventh frame, he got three off the right but by that point had already amassed enough of a lead that it didn’t hurt him.

Butturff had a chance to stay in the match but he left a 2-7 baby split in the eighth frame, which he missed. After that, his chances were all but over.

Zach Weidman finished third in the event after bowing out in the second match of the night. Weidman shot 209, while Butturff and Maldonado each had 224.

It’s still early in the season but right now, Weidman has to be the early favorite for the PBA Rookie of the Year honors after making the show at the PBA Players Championship and now this finish.

In the opening match of the show, Jason Sterner was the odd man out as he could only muster a 184 game. Maldonado had 224, Butturff fired 220 and Weidman had 214.

The World Series of Bowling XII concludes Wednesday with the PBA Scorpion Championship. The Round of 16 gets underway at Noon Eastern live on FloBowling.