LAS VEGAS, Nev. – New Mexico is the home of a new professional bowling champion.

33-year-old Deeronn Booker from Albuquerque won the U.S. Bowling Congress Masters in Vegas Sunday, claiming his first major championship and becoming the third African-American bowler to win a major title on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour.

Booker had to take down two-time defending Masters champion Anthony Simonsen of Las Vegas, 2023 U.S. Open champion EJ Tackett of Ossian, Indiana, and two-time PBA titlist Sam Cooley of Australia during double-elimination bracket match play on Thursday and Friday.

On Sunday, he defeated Patrick Dombrowski of Parma, Ohio 217-177 to win the Masters title and the tournament’s top prize of $100,000.

“I can’t believe it,” Booker said after his win. “This is perfect, I could not have painted a better picture of what’s going on right now.”