This is more coincidence, but wasn't it also around that time (2015) that they changed their tradition of posting the oil pattern while the tournament was running to posting the oil pattern after the tournament ended? That took away the ability to strategize what equipment to use and where to play.
Also, coincidentally, wasn't it around that time that BowlTV stopped livestreaming the tournament? That also took away a team's way of looking to see what others are doing and what lines to play, as well as what equipment was working on the lanes from what they saw from the pattern.
Again, all coincidence, but those could have also played a factor.
BL.