John Schmidt

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John Schmidt

One of the younger players with a lot of firepower, John Schmidt has been playing pool for less time than people realize. He was 18 years old when he first picked up a cue in a poolroom in California. John was born in Iowa and moved to California when he was seven years old, remaining there for 20 years. Golf was John's passion, and he even played several times with Tiger Woods. Upon relocating to Lake Tahoe for a job on a golf course, former world straight-pool champion and custom cue maker Bobby Hunter saw him play and immediately recognized that John was world-class material.

Hunter took John under his wing and taught him everything he could, starting with straight pool. Golf aspirations were pushed aside as John went on the road for five years, playing straight pool, one-pocket, and 9-ball. Some of his wins include The Rack Open twice in a row in Vancouver, Canada, and several events in Mobile, AL, that had extremely tough fields by any standards.

While in Mobile, John was approached by room owner and pool lover Randy White of Hidden Pockets in Milton, FL. White made John an offer he couldn't refuse-come to Milton to live on his ranch, be his house pro, and play pool while White sponsored John in pro events. After discussing the idea with his girlfriend Jenny, John decided that the offer was too good to pass up, and the couple moved to Milton last June.

"As soon as I got over there, I broke my high run of two hundred and forty within the first week with a run of two hundred and eighty-five," said John. To top things off, while on his honeymoon with Jenny last June, John entered the Sands Regency Reno Open and beat Alex Pagulayan in the finals.

Where he used to enter only two pro tournaments per year, winning the prestigious Reno event gave John the motivation to enter in as many professional events as possible. With his talent, which is still developing, and his support at home from Jenny and Randy, he is certain to be a force to be reckoned with at any event he attends.

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Inside Pool Magazine publishes billiard news. Definitive Synergy creates pool and billiard management software.