2008 PartyPoker.net World 9Ball Pool Masters
Defending champion Thomas Engert will be taking on Rodney Morris of the USA in the opening match of the 2008 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters tournament now that the draw has been made.
The event is one of the most prestigious in the world of 9 ball pooland it will be held at The Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, USA, It is scheduled to run from Friday, May 9 to Sunday, May 11.
16 of the world's best players will be competing for a prize of $62,000 and this is the first time in the competition's 16-year history that it will be staged in America. World Champion Daryl Peach of England has what could be a difficult opening match against 2001 World Champion Mika Immonen of Finland.
Tony Drago (Malta) and Niels Feijen (Holland) of Mosconi Cup team Europe will compete against each other in Round One, and there will be a fascinating clash between 'Kaiser' Ralf Souquet of Germany) and 18-year-old World Junior Champion Ko Pin-yi who comes from Chinese Taipei.
Barry Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Sport feels that this could be the toughest ever World Pool Masters considering there are four World 9 Ball Champions, six US Open Champions and a host of other title-holders in the starting line up.
The topurnament will have a winner breaks format and matches will be race-to-eight.
On Friday evening the World Pool Trickshot Masters will be taking place at the same venue with six leading players entertaining the crowd with a variety of tricks and stunts.
Europe Wins Mosconi Cup
EUROPE have succeeded in winning the 2007 Mosconi Cup with a superb 11-8 triumph over team USA.
Victory was sealed by Ralf Souquet, the most experienced player on the European side, when he prevailed over Rodney Morris winning 6-4.
Team Europe had only succeeded in winning the Mosconi Cup pool tournament twice in the past 13 years and had to claw back from a 4-1 deficit on the opening day. This however they managed to do in style by winning ten of the next 14 matches. Tony Drago, later presented with the Most Valuable Player Award, lifted Souquet high in the air and as the other players rushed in, the whole group ended up in a heap on the floor! The European players were absolutely ecstatic at securing a victory in this, prestigious pool tournament.
However, during the course of the competition, tempers had flared and Europe's Tony Drago nearly came to blows with volatile American Earl Strickland, while Daryl Peach also branded 'Earl the Pearl' as 'scum of the earth' and offered to settle things outside!
Britain's Daryl Peach wins World Pool Championship
Daryl Peach on Sunday 11th November 2007 became the first English 9 ball pool player to capture the World Pool Championship title, beating Filipino qualifier Roberto Gomez in a thrilling 17-15 win.
On route to winning this prestigious World Title, Daryl picked up a winning purse of 100,000 dollars and will almost certainly represent Team Europe in the Mosconi Cup. "There was pressure. It was an amazing match but I just kept my head still and focused on the game and took one shot at a time," said 35-year-old Daryl who comes from Blackpool in North West England UK.
Filipino Roberto Gomez, who only recently won the Norway Open admitting that he cracked under the intense pressure.
Thomas Engert wins the 2007 World Pool Masters
The 2007 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters championship has been won by Thomas Engert of Germany.
Engert defeated Spain's David Alcaide with a score of 8-5 in a high quality final at the Hotel Zuiderduin, Egmond aan Zee.
This is the second time that Engert has won the Masters title after first winning it in 2004.
Ireland Stages European Nations Cup 2007
Ireland's American Cue Sport Pool Federation have announced that the EPBF have granted them the right to stage the first ever European Nations Cup, and this will take place on the Emerald Isle beginning Tuesday 13th November 2007.
This is without doubt one of the biggest pool events ever to take place in this country when a host of the Worlds top 9 ball pool players, will be present to represent their country in the beautiful West of Ireland town.
Watch this space for further details..... Ireland's American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tours organiser Ronnie Boyle has confirmed that the event will be covered by Setanta Sports.