2011 US Open 9-Ball Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Darren Appleton
2	Shawn Putnam

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

The 2011 US Open 9-Ball Championship at the Chesapeake Conference Center was won by England's Darren "Dynamite" Appleton, who captured his second consecutive US Open title. The $175,100 tournament was held October 16-22 in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Appleton defeated Ohio's Shawn Putnam in the final after both players advanced through the double-elimination format. Appleton won the $30,000 first-place prize and the coveted green blazer, while Putnam collected $15,000 for his runner-up finish.

Appleton's back-to-back US Open victories marked his success in American-style 9-ball. He had previously established himself as the world's #1 player in British 8-ball before shifting focus to 9-ball on the big tables in 2006. He trained in the Philippines and competed in money matches to develop his skills in the American game. His 2010 victory preceded this 2011 win.

The tournament field included other notable contenders who rounded out the top finishers: Canada's Alex Pagulayan claimed third place ($10,000), followed by Indiana's Dennis Hatch in fourth ($7,500), with Huidji See and Larry Nevel tying for fifth ($6,000 each). The 256-player field represented players from across the globe competing for one of professional pool's largest purses.

Appleton's back-to-back US Open victories positioned him among the leading competitors in American pool. In 2012, he won the WPA World 9-Ball Championship, achieving top-level success in professional pool across multiple regions.

Sources: Darren Appleton – Wikipedia WPA Pool Feature

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