Professional bowling champion Jakob Butturff, an eight-time PBA Tour winner and one of the sport's most recognizable competitors, has died at the age of 32.
Videos by FanBuzz
The Professional Bowlers Association announced Butturff's death Friday. No cause of death was immediately released.
Butturff captured eight PBA Tour titles during his career, highlighted by his victory at the 2019 USBC Masters, his lone major championship.
"Jakob was one of the most unique players in PBA history," PBA Commissioner Tom Clark said in a statement. "Fans marveled at his delivery, as he rode a wave of strikes into becoming a top player in the sport, capable of winning at any time, in any event. Jakob was kind, he was respectful, and he was a champion. He will never be forgotten."
A native of Las Vegas, Butturff emerged as one of bowling's rising stars in 2016, when he won his first two PBA Tour titles and captured a record nine PBA Regional Tour victories in a single season.
He went on to earn 27 regional titles during his career and was a seven-time member of Team USA. In 2017, Butturff won the QubicaAMF World Cup and helped Team USA capture multiple international medals.
One of the signature moments of his career came in 2020, when he rolled the 28th televised perfect game in PBA history.
Tributes poured in from across the bowling community following news of his death.
"It ain't supposed to be like this," fellow PBA star EJ Tackett wrote on social media. "The bowling world lost today and it will never be the same."
Jason Belmonte, one of Butturff's longtime competitors, added, "The PBA has lost one of its kindest."
Butturff's distinctive bowling style and success on the lanes made him one of the sport's most recognizable figures during the past decade. He is survived by a legacy that includes championships, international success and the respect of competitors throughout professional bowling.
