2006 US Open 9-Ball Championship
Part of the US Open 9-Ball Championship archive
US Open 9-Ball Championship
Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Schmidt | |
| 2 | Rodolfo Luat |
Recap
Published April 13, 2026
The 2006 US Open 9-Ball Championship saw John Schmidt capture his first major 9-ball title at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Virginia. The tournament ran from September 25 to October 1 and featured a $159,000 total prize pool. Schmidt won the championship with an 11-6 victory over Filipino veteran Rodolfo Luat in the final, earning $40,000.
Schmidt's path to the title was notable given his relatively late start in professional pool. He began playing at age 19 and did not compete in his first professional tournament until 1999 at age 27. The California native was still building his reputation among the sport's elite when he won the US Open. This would remain his only major 9-ball championship, though he later became known as Mr. 600 for setting a world record run in straight pool.
The final matched Luat, an experienced competitor from California with decades of high-level competition, against Schmidt representing the newer generation of American players. In the race-to-11 format, Schmidt's safety play and execution under pressure proved decisive, allowing him to pull away for the 11-6 victory.
The win earned Schmidt a spot on Team USA for the 2006 Mosconi Cup, where he represented America against Europe in pool's premier team competition. Other notable finishers included Gabe Owen in third place ($10,000) and David Broxson in fourth ($5,000), with England's Darren Appleton and American Robb Saez sharing fifth place.
The 2006 US Open title marked a major achievement for Schmidt. While he would later gain greater recognition for breaking Willie Mosconi's 60-year-old straight pool record and winning the World Tournament of 14.1, this Virginia victory represented his breakthrough moment as a professional player and remains the most significant of his 9-ball accomplishments.
Sources: Wikipedia – John Schmidt
This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.