Vitaly Patsura reigned victorious at the historic Texas Open 9-Ball Championship for the second time in three years, whitewashing 2023 champion Tyler Styer 9-0 at Skinny Bob’s Billiards in Round Rock, Texas.
Patsura, who was recently defeated in the US Open quarter-finals by eventual runner-up Shane van Boening, notably exacted revenge on the legendary American in the fifth winners’ round in a dramatic 9-8 victory.
The Texas Open remains an event not included on the World Nineball Tour calendar, although that takes nothing away from Patsura, who scooped the $12,000 top prize and has now won the 49th and 51st stagings of the prestigious tournament.
The Ukrainian beat the likes of Chris McDaniel, Tony Chohan, Van Boening, Billy Dyke and Roland Garcia on his way to incredibly his third final in as many years, where he left Styer hopeless in a ruthless win.
Styer, meanwhile, was beaten 9-3 by his Mosconi Cup captain Skyler Woodward in his second match, and therefore needing to come through eleven matches on the one-loss side to book his place in the title decider.
The Chuck Markulis Memorial winner dropped just five racks in his first five matches, before beating the likes of Billy Thorpe 9-7, Roberto Gomez and John Morra. Styer then overcame Roland Garcia in a hill-hill affair in the all-important match.
Elsewhere, 2015 and 2019 winner Woodward’s hopes were scuppered following losses to Daniel Schneider and Roberto Gomez, while 2008 and 2021 champion Van Boening endured an emphatic 9-1 defeat to John Morra on the one-loss side.
