Team Europe Gunning for USA at Mosconi Cup
One of the strongest European teams in years believes that it can dethrone Team USA at the 2005 Mosconi Cup, set to kick off Thursday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev.
The four-day international pool tilt will pit Americans Johnny Archer, Rodney Morris, Shawn Putnam, Jeremy Jones, Earl Strickland and Charlie Williams against a stacked European squad, featuring Mika Immonen, Niels Feijen, Thorsten Hohmann, Raj Hundal, Marcus Chamat and Alex Lely.
The Americans have won nine of the 11 previous Cups, including a 12-9 victory in 2004.
BD Publisher Mike Panozzo notes that, in previous years, Team Europe has been somewhat handicapped by the inclusion of snooker stars and unproven United Kingdom 9-ballers, often included to boost interest and television ratings in the U.K., home of tournament producer Matchroom Sports and primary TV partner Sky Sports. Team Europe has no such hindrances in 2005, and has, in fact, pieced together its most talented squad ever.
However, Panozzo has still picked the USA to win the event this year (and in the process has set off a firestorm of controversy in online chat rooms), based on its overall talent, experience and sense of entitlement.
For up-to-the-minute updates on Mosconi Cup action, go to the event’s Web site at www.mosconicup.com.
England’s Raj Hundal Wins World Pool Masters
Hundal made a prize winning comeback.
But the 23-year-old Londoner wasn’t finished just yet. He’d already had the run of his life, beating Niels Feijen and Thomas Engert, among others, to get to the finals. Morris got to the hill after Hundal scratched on the break, and victory seemed unimaginable for Hundal, but he wasn’t ready to hang up his stick. Morris missed a long cut on the 1 in the next game, and Hundal turned it into the opportunity of a lifetime.
Game after game, Hundal put himself back on the scoreboard. He won eight consecutive games to win it all with a final score of 8-7. “I guess what goes around comes around,” Morris told event promoter Matchroom Sport. “But that’s pool. I don’t mind losing to Raj, though, because he’s a cool guy!”
Hundal, who collected $20,000 for the win, was overwhelmed: “It was the best day of my career, but now I’m just at a loss for words,” he said.