Shane Van Boening survived a major scare before fighting back to secure his place in the Last 64, while former US Open champions Fedor Gorst and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz also kept their title hopes alive as the double-elimination stage reached its conclusion in Frisco, Texas.
Marking the 49th edition of the historic tournament, the 2026 US Open Pool Championship takes place at Embassy Suites in Frisco, Texas from 25–30 August, bringing six days of world-class nine-ball action as a 256-player field competes for the prestigious Barry Behrman US Open Trophy, with the tournament showcased live on ESPN+ and WNT TV.
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Shane Van Boening endured a difficult start to Day Three, falling 9-6 to Dutchman Marc Bijsterbosch to drop into the Losers’ Side of the draw. With his tournament on the line, the five-time champion then faced Vietnam’s Phuong Nam Pham and found himself 5-2 down before producing a stunning seven-rack comeback to seal the victory and book his place in the Last 64.
Van Boening said: “I’m just glad to be back in the Last 64, especially after missing out last year. I played badly at the start against Pham, but I changed my break and then the rolls started going my way.
“Now I need to make sure I carry that momentum into tomorrow. I know what I can do in these events and I’ve proven I can win in a field this strong. I plan on doing it again this week.”
Joining Van Boening in the Last 64 is former US Open champion Fedor Gorst, who overcame Oscar Dominguez 9-5, sealing the victory in spectacular fashion with a three-rail 9-ball pot.
Gorst said: “Honestly, I haven’t been feeling that well, which I think is why I struggled with a few shots today. Overall, I played OK and missed a couple that I wouldn’t normally miss, but my break was working and that helped me build the lead against Oscar.
“It was great to have such a big crowd around me. It almost felt like the last day of the event with the amount of people watching. There was no better way I could have finished the match than with that three-rail shot.
“Now it’s time to rest and hopefully feel better. I’m looking forward to the Last 64. From here, it’s a completely different tournament.”
One of the standout encounters of Day Three saw former World Champions Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and Albin Ouschan meet in the Losers’ Side, with Ruiz keeping his US Open hopes alive after overcoming the Austrian.
Ruiz said: “I felt good today, especially after yesterday when I struggled to get through and lost a bit of confidence. Today I felt like I played better and the balls rolled my way a little more.
“Tomorrow is a new day. It’s the Last 64 of the biggest tournament of the year, so I’ll give it everything I have and try to keep going and get that title again.”
Day Three also saw several former US Open champions exit the tournament, including Corey Deuel, Rodney Morris and Johnny Archer.
After keeping his campaign alive earlier in the day with an 8-5 victory over Chinese Taipei’s Lin Ta Li, Archer’s run came to an end against fellow American Tyler Styer, who defeated the 57-year-old 9-5.
Archer said: “It sucks to leave the tournament. I would have loved to stay for another day, but that’s the game. Tyler is a great player and, to be honest, I don’t mind going out to another American.
“The past few weeks have been great, playing these WNT events, and I’m proud of what I’ve done after almost a decade away from competing against the best. I truly believe I’ve shown that I can still compete with the best players in the world.”
With 64 players remaining in Frisco, the tournament now switches to straight knockout action, meaning there are no more second chances and every defeat brings a campaign to an immediate end.
Van Boening will continue his pursuit of a record sixth US Open title against Michael Baoanan, while defending champion and World No.1 Aloysius Yapp faces Philippines Open champion David Alcaide in one of the standout Last 64 ties.
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