Latest News and Stories

Bayaua Defeats Park in Finals of Mens Division

Down 6-1 in the finals, Ernesto Bayaua of Houston, Texas, mounted an improbable come back to defeat former U.S. Amateur Champion Ron Park of Charlotte, N.C., 11-9.  Bayaua takes home the coveted U.S. Amateur Championship title in only his first competition. More...

 

 

 

 

Smith Wins Women’s Division

Suzanne Smith of Edgewood, Wash., is the 2011 U.S. Amateur Champion in the Women’s Division.

 

Smith defeated local favorite Jamie Toennies of Largo, Fla., 9-5 in the finals.  Smith went undefeated throughout the tournament while Toennies’ only two losses were to the new champion.  Smith now advances to the 2012 WPBA U.S. Open, while Toennies finishes with a strong Runner-up performance in  her first U.S. Amateur Championship tournament. More...

 

 

 

Park Returns to Finals After 17 Years

A lot has changed at the U.S. Amateur Championship over the past 18 years including venues, champions and the overall level of competition.  With all the changes, Ron Park of Charlotte, N.C., still managed to find his way back to the finals of the U.S. Amateur Championship.  Seventeen years ago, Park was the winner of the inaugural U.S. Amateur Championship held in Cleveland, Ohio. More...

 

 

Defending Champion Eliminated

There will be no back-to-back champions at this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship.  Defending Men’s Champion Raymond Linares of Miami was eliminated late Saturday night by Prescott Buckwold of Vero Beach, Fla., 7-4. More...

 

Book of Memories

It began with Allison Fisher and continues on with each tournament she plays.  So if you happen to run into Suzanne Smith of Edgewood, Wash., in a tournament, don’t be surprised if she strikes up a conversation with you, and kindly asks you to sign her book.

What may have begun as a bit of memorabilia, quickly became much more about memories.  After all, its pages contain so much more than just the autographs of nearly every tournament participant she encounters along her way.  Match notes, statistics, a treasure trove of tournament memories. More...

 

A Class of Their Own

This year’s U.S. Amateur Championship field is highlighted by eight former champions.  In the Men’s Division, the list includes two-time champion Henry Brodt (‘98 & ‘99) of Glenview, Ill., Bruce Choyce (‘03) of Santee, Calif., Travis Gunn (’08) of Waco, Texas, Brian Parks (’09) of Bakersfield, Calif., Jason Richko (’07) of Trinity, Fla., Ron Park (’94) of Charlotte, N.C. and defending champion Raymond Linares of Miami.  In the Women’s Division, the lone returning champ is Betty Lea (formely Sessions ‘09) of Conyers, Ga.

 

Inside Pool Magazine Provides Live Streaming of the U.S. Amateur Championship

For the first time ever, the U.S. Amateur Championship is being streamed live across the internet, courtesy of longtime billiard insider and Inside Pool magazine publisher JR Calvert!

 

Watch the matches here

 

 

Familiar Surroundings with a Change in Scenery

The U.S. Amateur Championship returns to the Tampa Bay area for the third consecutive year, but with a change in venue, well, two venues to be exact. This year's competition is being held at Strokers – Palm Harbor and the Crooked Cue in Clearwater. The change in venue was necessary following the unexpected closer of Strokers – Tampa earlier this year. The Men's Division will compete on the 14 9-ft tables available at Strokers – Palm Harbor, while the Women's Division will begin play on the Crooked Cue's 11 9-ft tables, before moving over to Stroker's for the final day of competition on Sunday.

 

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