1993 US Open 9-Ball Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Earl Strickland
2	Tony Ellin

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

Earl "The Pearl" Strickland won his third US Open 9-Ball Championship in 1993, defeating Tony Ellin in the final. This victory was one of five total US Open titles he would claim throughout his career, spanning from 1984 to 2000.

The 1993 championship took place during Strickland's peak years, between his back-to-back WPA World 9-Ball Championship victories in 1990 and 1991. The North Carolina native turned professional at age 16 and competed at the highest levels of professional pool. His nickname, The Pearl, reflected his reputation on the tournament circuit.

Ellin reached the final but lost to Strickland. Strickland began playing pool at age eight and developed a consistent approach to competitive play that made him successful in professional pool during this era.

The 1993 US Open victory placed Strickland among the tournament's most successful champions. His five total US Open wins exceeded the three championships won by Mike Sigel and set a record unmatched by any other player at that time. Combined with his world championship titles, this success established him as a leading nine-ball player of his era and provided a standard against which competitors like Shane Van Boening would later be compared.

The victory came with the traditional green blazer and lifetime entry privileges granted to US Open champions. The win was part of a Hall of Fame career that included over 100 championship titles.

Sources: U.S. Open Pool Championship – Wikipedia Earl Strickland – Wikipedia WPA Pool

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