2001 US Open 9-Ball Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Corey Deuel
2	Mika Immonen

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

The 2001 US Open Nine-ball Championship saw 23-year-old Corey Deuel win his first major title, defeating Finland’s Mika Immonen in the final. The tournament featured a $30,000 prize pool and attracted top international talent to compete for one of nine-ball’s most prestigious titles.

Deuel, a Santa Barbara native, turned professional in 1995. His US Open victory marked a significant achievement early in his career. Immonen would later become one of Europe’s most decorated champions. The win established Deuel as one of America’s premier players at the professional level.

The championship final showcased competitive nine-ball play at the highest level. Deuel employed various strategic approaches during the match, utilizing different breaking and pattern racking techniques. These methods were within the rules at the time and demonstrated the mental discipline required at elite levels of competition.

The US Open victory launched a successful career for Deuel that included regular selections to represent the United States in the Mosconi Cup. The win earned him the traditional green blazer awarded to US Open champions, along with free entry fees to all future tournaments. By 2008, Deuel was ranked as the second-highest American player, with reported career earnings approaching $562,000.

Deuel’s victory over Immonen in the final reinforced the US Open’s status as one of nine-ball’s most coveted titles and demonstrated that American pool remained competitive at the highest levels of international play.

Sources: Corey Deuel – Wikipedia, U.S. Open Pool Championship – Wikipedia

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