SPOKANE, Wash. — On a weekend celebrating dads nationwide, Chris Tuholski gave himself and his father a memory they won’t soon forget — winning his fifth career PBA Regional title at the 2025 PBA Northwest Region Spokane Open.

Held at Valley Bowl in Spokane, the tournament wrapped up Sunday with a dramatic stepladder final that capped two days of high-stakes bowling on the Professional Bowlers Association’s Northwest Region Tour.

Tuholski, who led qualifying at +60, navigated nine grueling games in Sunday’s Cashers Round across three match-play blocks to secure the No. 2 seed heading into the stepladder finals.

In his opening match, Tuholski faced 2024 Spokane Open champion Austin Gratzer in a battle that swung frame by frame. Tuholski surged late, pulling away to end Gratzer’s title defense and secure a spot in the championship match.

Waiting for him at the top was Andy Kinney, who had been dominant throughout Day 2 to earn the No. 1 seed. The final came down to the wire in the 10th frame. Kinney struck and spared, forcing Tuholski to mark and get at least three pins for the win. Calm under pressure, Tuholski converted a 10-pin spare and delivered a perfect final shot to clinch the title.

“Effect Tour, Real Time and Black Pearl urethane did the work this weekend!” Tuholski wrote on Facebook following the win, thanking his equipment and sponsors — Hammer Bowling, Turbo Grips, and H5G Brands. He also gave credit to George Aboud for running the event and Steve Hahn and Valley Bowl for hosting.

The victory was extra special for Tuholski — marking his first Father’s Day title, having previously won a regional event on Mother’s Day. His father, Craig Tuholski, was present to celebrate the moment, sharing an emotional embrace after the final shot.

The Spokane Open has developed a reputation as “The Regional of Firsts,” with several previous champions earning their first career title at the event. But this year, experience won out.

Tuholski now shifts focus to upcoming tour stops as he continues building a strong 2025 campaign.

“Onto the next one!” he added in his post.