The Final Four Fight at the US Open

The Final Four Fight at the US Openby Rick DavisAt 1 p.m. the center court TV table featured billiard players John Schmidt and Dave Broxson in the first of four matches before the winner of the 31st annual US Open is determined. Schmidt got to an early 4-1 lead due to some unfortunate scratches and bad position plays by Broxson. Schmidt executed near perfect cue ball control as he sailed to a 8-2 lead thanks to a break and run. Another scratch by Broxson and more safeties by Schmidt put Schmidt on the hill at 10-3. Broxson started a comeback with a win followed by a break and run but the deficit was too great as Schmidt fired in a table length cut leading to a run out to win the match 11-5. Discuss the U.S. Open 9-Ball ChampionshipU.S. Open 9-Ball Championships image galleryU.S. Open 9-Ball Championships Tournament Brackets
Afterwards Schmidt commented, “I got a lot of rolls. He’s a friend of mine and I know he was playing real good, he beat everyone so far, and beat me eleven-four earlier this week so I wanted to get revenge. I got the rolls and backed it up with solid play so it might be my time to do some damage. It was like his second match on the TV table so it was a lot of pressure on him. But the way I am hitting them I should be okay”The second match in the round featured Gabe Owen versus Roldolfo Luat in the hot seat match. Luat got off to a quick 3-0 lead but a break and run helped Owen even the set at 4-all. Again, Luat push forward to reach a 8-4 lead and again Owen was able to tie things at 8-all, then 9-all before finally reaching the hill. Luat would not go that easily as a brief safety scuffle lead to Luat running out for a double-hill showdown. Luat got a ball on the break although no shot on the one lead to an incredibly thin cut which was the only safety available on the table. The crowd gasped in awe as he struck another ball first and scratched giving Owen ball in hand and an open table. Just into the run Owen rattled the four ball leaving Luat to tap out the rest of the rack for a thrilling win in the double-hill match.

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