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Matchroom to Rank Players for 2011 Mosconi Cup
Jan 28, 2011, 4:43 PM

In the weeks following the most successful Mosconi Cup in the event's 17-year history, Matchroom Sport, the U.K. sports promotion firm behind the team tussle, announced big changes for 2011. Three of each team's five spots will be chosen by separate European and American rankings list.

So much for the adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

While Matchroom will keep two wild-card selections open for each team, the other six players can earn a spot in the highly regarded transatlantic tournament.

The European rankings will consist of 11 events -- six EuroTour tournaments and six world events (the World 8-Ball and 9-Ball Championships, Beijing Open, China Open, World Pool Masters and U.S. Open). International events will be worth 50 percent more points.

The Americans, meanwhile, will be slotted according to 11 tournaments, seven of which are in the U.S. The events are as follows:

National:
2010 Steve Mizerak Championship
2010 Turning Stone
The Masters
Ultimate 10-Ball Championship
U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship
Turning Stone
U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship

International:
World Pool Masters
China Open
World 9-Ball Championship
Beijing Open

With two events already in the books for the Americans, Corey Deuel and Earl Strickland have an early lead on the field. Deuel has 196 points and Strickland 194, while No. 3 Shawn Putnam has 165.

The Europeans are also through two events, with a pair of 2010 EuroTour dates. Using a different point system than the Americans, Darren Appleton and Chris Melling are atop the list, both with 23 points.