'Amazing' 9-Year-Old Boy Defeats Entire Adult Bowling Division After Mom Lets Him Join Tournament as Birthday Gift

Landen Henderson said winning the adult bowling tournament was like a "dream"

NEED TO KNOW

• 9-year-old Landen Henderson defeated a field of adults to win the Indiana Times Classic Bowling Tournament in Hammond, Ind., on Sunday, May 31
• Henderson said after his victory that the win was a “dream”
• The boy bowls almost every day after school and one day hopes to become a professional bowler, his family said

It was a birthday to remember for 9-year-old Landen Henderson.

The Maywood, Ill., boy became the youngest champion in the 76-year history of the Indiana Times Classic Bowling Tournament after defeating an entire field of adults who also entered into the bracket on Sunday, May 31.

The Northwest Indiana Times reported that Henderson had asked his mom if he could play in the tournament, held annually in Hammond, Ind., for his birthday. His mom agreed, setting the stage for him to earn a high-enough score to become the tournament’s top-qualifier in the Class C adult tournament.

“It’s just more fun at the bowling alley than sitting at home, waiting for all your friends to wake up and finally going to your birthday party at like 2 o’clock in the afternoon,” Henderson told the newspaper.

As Henderson kept knocking pins down left and right, the Times reported that more and more strangers began to gather behind the lane to watch the 9-year-old’s impressive performance.

“That was making me more nervous,” Henderson told the newspaper. “I just focused, executed my shots and didn’t score watch.”

Henderson’s qualifying score earned him a couple byes in the tournament’s knockout stage, according to the Times. The boy later defeated another adult in the tournament’s championship game, 217-184, to earn the trophy. 

“It was really amazing to watch,” his mother told local The CW affiliate WGN afterwards. “The energy in the room was electric.”

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Henderson told the outlet he felt like the adults “had a chance” to beat him, “but then I kind of felt like I had a better chance.” 

“It was just like my dream,” he told WGN. “I was really excited because I won.”

The news station reported that Henderson bowls most days after school, and that his goal is to one day play in a professional bowlers league.

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