1991 WPA World 9-Ball Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Earl Strickland
2	Nick Varner

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

Earl "The Pearl" Strickland won his second consecutive world title at the 1991 WPA World Nine-Ball Championship in Las Vegas, defeating fellow American Nick Varner 9-7 in the final.

This victory came one year after Strickland's 1990 world championship win in Germany. The North Carolina native turned professional in 1981 and gained prominence with his 1983 Caesars Tahoe Billiard Classic victory. By 1991, he had established himself as a top competitor in professional pool.

The final matched two accomplished American players. Varner, who had captured the 1994 PBT World Eight-ball Championship, brought significant championship experience to the match. Strickland secured the 9-7 victory.

Las Vegas hosted this championship as part of the WPA World Nine-Ball Championship series. The 1991 tournament was the second edition of the championship, established following the World Pool Association's planning in summer 1989. The event was recognized as pool's premier competition.

Strickland's back-to-back world titles in 1990 and 1991 launched a successful professional career. He went on to capture a third world championship in 2002 and the 1988 PBA World Nine-Ball Championship, along with over 100 tournament titles throughout his career. He was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 2006.

Sources: Earl Strickland – Wikipedia List of WPA World Nine-ball champions – Wikipedia WPA World Nine-ball Championship – Wikipedia

This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.