DAILY COVERAGE
Cumulative
Results thru Sunday
Sun, Sept, 24, 5:30 PM (EST)
Five for Earl?
Sun, Sept, 24, 5:30 PM (EST)
On Playing A Legend
Sat, Sept, 23, 2:30 PM (EST)
Strivng
for Silver
Fri, Sept, 22, 8:30 PM (EST)
Quarter
Century of Legends
Fri, Sept, 22,
5 PM (EST)
Pool
World Meets in Chesapeake
Thurs, Sept. 21, 9 PM (EST)
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FIVE and ALIVE!
by Kirstin Pires
Earl Strickland played like a man on a
mission and took down an astonishing fifth US Open title in a
decisive second win of the day over 48-year old Takeshi Okumura of
Japan, 11-5 at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake,
Va., before an appreciative and knowledgeable crowd.
Okumura, who was undefeated until meeting Strickland in the
quarter-final match, defeated the likes of Francisco Bustamante
and Johnny Archer on his way to the final.
Promoter Barry Behrman provided a cart of champagne and invited
the fans down to the pit area where a feel-good toast to the
players and the fans preceeded
a gracious acceptance speech by Strickland. "God bless the
whole world," said the five-time champion.
Strickland wins $50,000 for first place, while Okumura takes
$20,000.
About this Tournament
The 25th Annual U.S. Open 9-Ball tournament kicked off Monday with a field of over 280 players and over $200,000 in the prize fund.
Billiards Digest will provide on-site coverage from Chesapeake, Va., bringing you the action from this classic event from Thursday
evening through presentation of the $50,000 winner's check, Sunday evening.
From it's humble beginnings with a 16-man field in Barry Behrman's Q-Master pool room in 1976, the U.S. Open 9-Ball tournament has grown into the longest-running pro event in U.S. 9-ball - and one of the richest and
most prestigious 9-ball tournaments in the world. A list of past winners of the .S. Open reads like an all-star roster. Hall-of-Famers Mike Sigel, Steve Mizerak, Nick Varner and Buddy Hall have each claimed the U.S. Open title. Allen Hopkins, Earl Strickland (a record four-time winner) and the defending champion, Johnny Archer are all in Chesapeake to try to add another U.S. Open title to their resumes.
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The
'99 U.S. Open final saw Johnny Archer first admonish the
table, then astonish himself as he claimed the elusive
U.S. Open title. This year, he defends his title against a
record 280-player field. |
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