F.Boy Round Final 32 US Open/Pickem?

[PoolPlayer4]

I can't ever remember a year in which there was this much competition for Player of the Year in pro pool. It's October and yet the picture is far from clear. Here is a year-to-date review.

Josh Filler
Won the DCC 10-ball, World Pool Masters, UK Open, and won gold at the World Games. He got silver at the Derby City Classic 9-ball and Premier League Pool.

Shane Van Boening
Won the World Pool Championship gold and European Open silver.

Albin Ouschan
Won the Premier League Pool and European Open. Won silver at the WPC.

Fedor Gorst
Played some of the best pool ever seen at the Derby city Classic andtops the money list despite diminished opportunity to compete due to the Russian ban.

Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz
Won gold at the Derby City Classic 9-ball and at the World Cup of Pool, and managed silver at the UK Open. He's the #1 ranked player on Euro-tour, as well.

With the US Open 9-ball and the International 9-ball both to be played within the next month, I think all five of these are still in contention for Player of the Year. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, but Filler is surely the leader for Player of the Year to this point.

The 10-ball is 16 player invitational. I know it is top players, but a pretty small field. Do you count that event in the same category as these others?

But certainly agree with your assessment that Filler is the leader at this point. Shame that Fedor has been excluded. The way he's been playing, not hard to see him being right there.

 

[sjm]

The 10-ball is 16 player invitational. I know it is top players, but a pretty small field. Do you count that event in the same category as these others?

But certainly agree with your assessment that Filler is the leader at this point. Shame that Fedor has been excluded. The way he's been playing, not hard to see him being right there.

Yes, because it's nearly always restricted to the most elite players. The sixteen who pay in the Bigfoot ten ball probably have an average Fargo of 815, so it offers what would be considered to be a very credible Stage 2 of a major. The Bigfoot is definitely not on a par with the Derby City 9-ball, but the Bigfoot is still one of the toughest titles to win. The last three finals at the Bigfoot were Filler vs JL Chang, Shaw vs Van Corteza and Filler vs Gorst, and I suspect that future finals will, similarly, bring us two of the game's greatest superstars.