8-Time Pro Bowling Champion Jakob Butturff, Known As ‘Butters,’ Dies Unexpectedly At 32

Jakob Butturff, an eight-time Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion who called Arizona home, died unexpectedly Friday at age 32. The PBA announced his death that day, and no cause has been released.

Butturff was born and raised in Las Vegas but also lived in the Phoenix area and in Binghamton, New York; his Team USA bio listed Tempe as his hometown, and he attended Arizona State University. Throughout his career, he was affectionately known as “Butters” and widely considered one of the most distinctive players in PBA history.

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PBA Commissioner Tom Clark said fans marveled at Butturff’s delivery as he rode waves of strikes into becoming a player capable of winning any event, adding that he was kind, respectful, and a champion who would never be forgotten.

The Mesa Metro USBC Association echoed that sentiment in a social media post, remembering him as not only one of the most talented bowlers in the world but also a beloved friend, teammate, and inspiration throughout the bowling community.

Butturff’s career took off in 2016, when he won his first two PBA Tour titles and set a PBA Regional Tour record with nine titles in a single year, earning both West Region and Northwest Region Player of the Year honors. He would go on to collect 27 Regional Tour titles in total, adding further Northwest Region Player of the Year awards in 2017 and 2018.

His career-defining moment came in 2019, when he won the USBC Masters, one of bowling’s most prestigious majors. That same year, he finished runner-up to Jason Belmonte at the PBA World Championship and ranked second to Belmonte in both points and earnings, ultimately finishing as runner-up in Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year voting. In 2020, he bowled the 28th televised 300 game in PBA Tour Finals history.

Internationally, Butturff represented Team USA seven times and helped the squad win multiple gold and silver medals, including a title at the 2017 QubicaAMF World Cup.

Tributes poured in from across the bowling world following news of his death. Fellow PBA pro EJ Tackett called the loss soul-crushing and said Butturff was someone who would give the shirt off his back for anyone in need. AJ Johnson remembered him as someone with one of the biggest hearts who made everyone laugh. Jason Belmonte, widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers ever, offered a brief but powerful tribute, saying the PBA had lost one of its kindest.

Butturff is remembered by those who knew him as both a singular talent on the lanes and a deeply loved figure off them.