World Pool Masters
Recap
Published April 13, 2026
In one of pool’s most dramatic championship moments, 23-year-old Raj Hundal overcame a 7-1 deficit to defeat American veteran Rodney Morris 9-8 in the final at The Dome in Doncaster. The London-born player, known as The Hitman, claimed his first major title and the biggest payday of his career with a $20,000 winner’s check.
Morris, who had advanced through the semifinals against Alex Pagulayan, controlled the early stages of the final. The Florida native built a 6-0 lead before extending his advantage to 7-1. Hundal trailed significantly as Morris won rack after rack in the early portion of the match.
Hundal mounted a comeback, winning consecutive racks to close the gap. As the match progressed, Morris struggled while Hundal won racks in succession to even the score at 7-7 and eventually take the lead to secure the victory.
Hundal’s path to the final included victories over Dutch player Niels Feijen, Czech Republic’s Roman Hybler, and Germany’s Thomas Engert. The tournament featured a strong international field with notable performances from Alex Pagulayan reaching the semifinals alongside Thomas Engert, while established players like Mika Immonen and Alex Lely also placed highly.
The 2005 World Pool Masters was organized by Matchroom with a prize fund of $62,000, attracting the sport’s top competitors. Hundal’s victory established him as a leading international competitor and led to his selection for Europe’s Mosconi Cup team later that year. The final match demonstrated the mental demands of championship pool when facing significant deficits.
Sources: Raj Hundal – Wikipedia, Matchroom Pool – Raj Returns!
This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.