The 256-player field for the 2020 US Open 9-Ball Championship is now full, with over seven months still to go before the event takes place at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, Las Vegas.
A waiting list is now available at matchroompool.com. Anybody wishing to enter the US Open 9-Ball Championship can sign up for free to join the waiting list with any spots which become available offered on a first-come, first-serve basis to players on the list. In addition, players can still enter Official Qualifying Events to win their place in the field for the $375,000 event, which takes place April 13-18 2020.
Emily Frazer, COO of Matchroom Multi Sport, said: “As anticipated, we have set an all-time record and sold out the 256 player US Open 9-ball Championship field in just 17 days. With 40 players already on the waiting list, this event is in huge demand.
“$375,000 prize money, 256 players, staged at the iconic Mandalay Bay Resort, full TV production broadcast to over 100 countries worldwide – the sheer coverage that players receive from participating in a Matchroom event has now increased tenfold. The adrenalin of playing among the best-of-the-best in a 33-table arena; coupled with the hope and determination of making it to the last-16 must be fiercely set in the sights of all the players who have signed up.
“It’s our second year taking on the US Open 9-Ball; with just over seven months to go, we can now turn our attention to the event specifics and spectators – this event will be impressive, fun and full!”
Brady Behrman and Shannon Paschall added: “We knew and trusted that the only way for pool to elevate and the US Open to continue to grow was through the eyes of Matchroom Sport. Our father and founder, Barry Behrman, is the happiest man in heaven. The field being full with 256 players from around the world, the largest prize fund ever and eight months ahead of time is a grand testament to the hard work that Matchroom puts in to ensure the very best for players, fans and the entire industry.”
Promoted by Matchroom Multi Sport, the 2020 US Open 9-Ball Championship will take place from April 13-18 at Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas. Boasting a $375,000 prize fund, players will battle it out over three days of double elimination in the 33-table Diamond Arena until the last 16 players are left standing. From there, the action moves to single elimination and onto the global TV stage as the remaining 16 compete to become US Open 9-Ball Champion. The double elimination draw will be made in the spring.
Spectator tickets will go on sale to Matchroom Pool Club members on Friday, September 13 and general sale on Monday, September 16 with full selling details to be announced shortly.
The 2020 US Open 9-Ball Championship will be partnered by Diamond, who supply the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are Super Aramith by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue of the event and Kamui are the Official Chalk and Tip. The US Open 9-Ball Championship is sanctioned by the WPA.
Players from all over the Mid-Atlantic are heading to the Barry Behrman Memorial Spring Open at Q-Master Billiards in Virginia Beach this weekend.
Barry Behrman passed away April 23, 2016. This event, the "Spring Open", which he started in the early 80's is coming back. Join us April 22-23, 2017 for the Barry Behrman Memorial "Spring Open" 9-Ball Tournament: $8,900.00 Total Purse with 64 players, $2,500.00 Added, $100 Entry. We will open the field beyond 64 players.
"We are humbled and honored to continue the legacy of our father, elevating pool and growing the sport. This weekend, a weekend to remember, will be the perfect way to give back to the pool community and remember all that Barry Behrman did for the sport" said Brady Behrman and Shannon Paschall.
Boo's Burgers and Billiards in Metropolis, IL opened in January of this year, though the absence of a liquor license until May had them serving soda pop. They decided to hold a Grand Opening Pool Tournament on the weekend of September 20-21, and asked Evelyn Dysart from the Midwest 9-Ball Tour to run it. Given its location, you might have expected Superman or at least Clark Kent to play, but they ended up with perhaps the next best thing; Skyler Woodward, who reportedly lives within a matter of miles from the room, and worked his way through a field of 51 entrants to go undefeated in the $1,500-added, handicapped event.
Woodward worked his way among the winners' side final four and faced Eugene Allen, as Billie Jamerson squared off against Mickey Hammond. Woodward sent Allen west convincingly 13-2, as Jamerson was defeating Hammond 8-7. Woodward got into the hot seat 13-6 over Jamerson and waited on what turned out to be the return of Mickey Hammond's brother, T.J. Hammond.
T.J. was at work on the loss side and after victories over Jeremy Brown 8-3, and Nate McGaha 11-6, he met up with Allen. His brother, Mickey, ran into Stewart McDermott, an elder pool player that everyone knew as "Mutt." "Mutt" had defeated Corey Martin and Brady Behrman, both 7-3.
A sibling quarterfinal was avoided, when T.J. downed Allen 7-9, and "Mutt" beat his brother 7-4. T.J. defeated "Mutt" 8-4, and got a shot against Woodward in the hot seat, with an 8-7 win over Jamerson in the semifinals. Woodward, though, completed his undefeated run with a 13-6 win over T.J. in the finals.
Justin Bergman took the second set of a true double elimination final against Bruce Luttrell to win the 3rd Annual Big Muddy Freeroll Tournament, held on the weekend of September 14-15. The $2,500-added, handicapped event, which did not require an entry fee, drew 107 entrants to The Billiard Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
With players racing to their handicap number, from 4 to 14, Bergman was one of a handful playing at the top end of the system. He faced Bruce Luttrell, racing to 8, three times; once in the hot seat match, and twice in the finals, winning two double hill matches of those three.
From among the winners' side final four, Bergman met up with Robert Frost (12), as Luttrell was facing Jimmy Lang (10). Bergman sent Frost to the left bracket 14-10, as Luttrell was downing Lang, 8-5. In their first of two straight double hill matches Bergman prevailed 14-7, and sat in the hot seat, waiting for Luttrell to return from the semifinals.
Lang moved over and met up with Skyler Woodward (one of three, among the event's final 12, racing to 14), who'd defeated Drake Niepoetter 14-5 and Shane McMinn (another player racing to 14) 14-7. Frost drew Brady Behrman, who'd defeated Devin Poteet 10-7, and Dustin Roach 10-5. Roach, having previously defeated Drake Niepoetter's father, Dale, was, in effect, instrumental in seeing to it that father and son got to leave the tournament together, at the same time.
Frost downed Behrman 12-6, as Woodward handed Lang his second straight loss 14-6. A double hill fight ensued in the quarterfinals with Woodward prevailing over Frost to meet Luttrell, who at this point, racing to 8, was looking at three straight matches against two players racing to 14, in order to win the thing. He jumped the first hurdle with a 7-8 victory over Woodward in the semifinals, to earn his second, and hopefully, third shot against Bergman.
Luttrell took full advantage, winning the opening set of the true double elimination final 7-7. Bergman rallied, though, and took the second set 14-5 to claim the event title.
In addition to the standard payouts, the tournament paid $200 each to the top "B" and "C" finishers in the tournament. Andy Auer took home the $200, "B" prize, while 12-year-old Matt Wisely captured the "C" money.
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) crowned four winners in the 24th Annual BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championships. Nearly 130 junior pocket billiard players from 28 states gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Romine’s High Pockets on July 11th -15th. Players took aim to win a title, scholarships, prizes and an entry into the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Junior 9-Ball Championships. In the 18-and-under boys’ division, Landon Shuffett of Greensburg, KY prevailed, while Briana Miller of Allentown, PA, defended her title in the 18-and-under girls’ division. In the 14-and-under boys’ division, newcomer Zachary Hampton of Rocky Mount, VA was victorious and April Larson of Bloomington, MN captured her first title in the 14-and-under girls’ division.
The top finishers in the 18-and-under boys’ division were native to junior billiard competition. Landon Shuffett, winner of four (4) consecutive Junior National titles from 2007 – 2010, proved that he didn’t forget how to win after taking a year off from competition in 2011. Shuffett steadily proceeded through the winner’s bracket with wins over Kevin Sun 9-5, Ryan Ponton 9-1, Zachary Leonard 9-2, and William Chappell 9-1 before losing to Brendan Crockett 5-9. Crockett, runner-up in the 2011 Junior Nationals and 2009 champion of the 14-and-under boys’ division, effortlessly cruised through the winner’s bracket without a loss. Crockett defeated Tyler Howell 9-0, Daniel McComas 9-3, Joey Torres 9-5, Tyler Styer 9-5 and Landon Shuffett 9-5 to claim the seat as the only undefeated contestant in the 43 player division. On the one-loss side, Chad Behnke diligently proceeded to win an impressive 8 matches after losing his first match to Brady Behrman 6-9. Behnke shot his way through Austen Warner 9-2, JC Torres 9-7, Logan Zuponcic 9-0, Jonathan Ailstock 9-5, Zachary Leonard 9-2, Kevin Sun 9-8 and Tyler Styer 9-4 before a rematch with Brady Behrman, winning 9-3. With only one more match to win for a chance to rumble with the undefeated Crockett, Behnke fell short by only 3 games, losing to Shuffett 6-9 in the semi-finals. Shuffett gladly embraced a rematch with Crockett and an opportunity for another title. In the race to 11 finals, an unforeseen scratch by Crockett when the score was 7-4 caused a shift in the ebb and flow of the match. Shuffett seized the opportunity to tighten the gap and then followed with a break-and-run, narrowing the score 6-7. The alternate break format allowed Crockett to get back to the table. He gracefully took charge, pocketing eight balls, but scratched while getting position for the 9-ball. Staying focused and determined to win, both players edged their way to a 10-10 match, each needing only one more game to win the championship. Shuffett won the final game and his fifth title as Junior National Champion.
The showdown in the 18-and-under girls’ division featured Briana Miller and Taylor Reynolds. Advancing to the 15-18 year old bracket this year, 15 year old Reynolds was determined to prove that age is not a factor in winning. Reynolds steam-rolled her first 3 opponents, Tessa Brown 7-0, Carly Fristoe 7-0 and Cristina Watson 7-0, before being slowed down by Briana Miller. Miller needed only one game to take charge of the winner’s bracket, but the trailing Reynolds confidently won the next 5 games to win the match 7-6 and took reign of the winner’s bracket. Miller made her way by defeating Sarah Bridgman 7-0, Ashley Fisher 7-2 and Juli Poutry 7-2, before losing to Taylor Reynolds 6-7. Miller collected her composure and ambushed her next opponent Ashley Fisher 7-1 and earned an opportunity to defend her title. Miller tamed the fierce Reynolds in the finals, winning the match 9-7 and claiming her sixth title as Junior National Champion in the girls’ division.
In the 14-and-under boys’ division, Zachary Hampton, first time attendee at Junior Nationals, received an initiation by losing his first match to hometown favorite Sergio Rivas 6-7. Hampton’s light-hearted demeanor and determination carried him through the one-loss bracket defeating Joshua Goodknight 7-0, Michael Darling 7-0, Mahkeal Parris 7-6, Cody Carter 7-2, Seth Chilcutt 7-0, Ricky Evans 7-3, Mason Koch 7-5 and Shawn Begay 7-3, before a rematch in the semi-finals with Sergio Rivas. Rivas made his way through the winner’s bracket defeating Brandon Descamps 7-0, Zachary Hampton 7-6, Shane Wolford 7-5, Kaiden Hunkins 7-0 and Shawn Begay 7-1, before being defeated by Manny Perez 5-7. Perez advanced through the winner’s bracket with victories over Peter Steele 7-5, Ricky Evans 7-3, Mikey Evans 7-1, Mason Koch 7-2 and Sergio Rivas 7-5 to guarantee himself a seat into the finals. In the semi-finals, Rivas and Hampton eagerly battled for a chance to play in the finals. This time, Hampton prevailed 7-5. Hampton’s momentum continued in the finals as he persevered in the 54 player field, ousting Perez 9-6 and winning the championship title in the 14-and-under boys’ division.
In the 14-and-under girls’ division, it was former runner-up April Larson who gleamed as she breezed through the winner’s bracket defeating Morgan Chesla 7-2, Tori Kover 7-1, Katelin Ballou 7-1, Isabelle Plumb 7-2 and Kyra Avalos 7-4 to secure her seat in the finals. Avalos trekked through the event with wins over Jessica Pitsinger 7-0, Katilyn Hall 7-0, Alex Booth 7-4, and Karsyn Terry 7-4 before losing to April Larson 4-7. In the semi-final match, Terry dashed to the finals with a 7-1 win over Avalos. The confident and poised Larson kept Terry at bay, winning the match 9-2 and earning her first Junior National title.
The champions of the four divisions received trophies, prizes and scholarship funds. Each champion, as well as the second and third place finishers in the 18-and-under boys’ division earned an opportunity to represent the United States in the 2012 World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Junior 9-Ball Championships. Prizes were also given to all top eight finishers in each division.
During the BEF annual banquet, 300 attending players, family members and fans were honored and thrilled to have Allison “Duchess of Doom” Fisher share words of inspiration and enjoyed an evening of instruction and challenge matches. Fisher is currently ranked #1 on the Women’s Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) tour, fifteen (15) times World Champion and recipient of over 75 major titles. Other special guests in attendance throughout the week were BCA Master Instructor, Jerry Briesath, who worked tirelessly with juniors who were interested in perfecting their game and Mark Wilson, professional player, instructor and Lindenwood University Billiard Coach.
Much appreciation goes out to all who diligently worked to help produce a first class event, including: tournament director Earl Munson for keeping the event running smoothly and for his volunteer work throughout the year; Rick Doner, National Head Referee; Justin Ballou, national referee; Jamie Strait, national referee; Tammy Leonard, tournament director assistant; Mel Leonard, mini-tournament coordinator and assistant; Terry Romine, Nikki Romine and all their staff; Roy Pastor, BEF Board of Director; Laura Smith, BEF Executive Director; and volunteers: Susanne Brandom, Brinda Avalos, Trena Wolford, Meghan Howell, Wayne Kelly, Mark Brendemihl and Randy Fisher.
A special “thank you” to all of the event sponsors who made the 2012 Junior National 9-Ball Championships possible: Simonis Cloth, Billiard Congress of America (BCA), Romine’s High Pockets and the BEF. Also, much gratitude goes to Viking Cue, sponsor of the Academic All-American awards. A hearty “thank you” goes out to all the product donors who contributed to the junior prizes. A list of donors can be viewed on the BEF website at www.BilliardEducation.org.
2012 BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championship results:
18 & Under Boys’ Division
1st Landon Shuffett of Greensburg, KY
2nd Brendan Crockett of Bell Canyon, CA
3rd Chad Behnke of Farley, IA
4th Brady Behrman of Albers, IL
18 & Under Girls’ Division
1st Briana Miller of Allentown, PA
2nd Taylor Reynolds of Winslow, ME
3rd Ashley Fisher of Ocala, FL
4th Carly Fristoe of Bend, OR
14 & Under Boys’ Division
1st Zachary Hampton of Rocky Mount, VA
2nd Manny Perez of Kansas City, KS
3rd Sergio Rivas of Milwaukee, WI
4th Shawn Begay of Gallup, NM
14 & Under Girls’ Division
1st April Larson of Bloomington, MN
2nd Karsyn Terry of Chicago, IL
3rd Kyra Avalos of Anthem, AZ
4th Keila Perez of Waltham, MA
About Billiard Education Foundation
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to promoting education and encourages the development of life skills through youth billiard programs. The BEF funds academic scholarships, produces the Junior National 9-Ball Championships, supports billiard athletes to attend the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships and promotes “Pool In School” programs. For more information, please visit www.BilliardEducation.org or contact info@BilliardEducation.org
