CROQUET NEWS:  United States Open Won by Paul Bennett

	Place	Player, State [Rank]
	1st	Paul Bennett, AZ [#65]
	2nd	Brian Cumming, ON [#82]
	3rd	Ben Rothman, CA [#8]
	4th	Rich Lamm, CO [#56]
	5th	Tony Le Moignan, JER [#20]
		Doug Grimsley, VA [#36]
	7th	Bob Van Tassell, CA [#148]
		Britt Ruby, TX [=164]
		Johnny Mitchell, TX [#250]
		Leo Nikora , CA [#293]
	11th	Jim Butts, CA [#202]
		Ron Hendry, CA [#238]
		Charlie Smith, CA [#257]
		Martyn Selman, CA [#262]
		Rory Kelley, AZ [=313]
		Mike Orgill, CA [#319]
		Robert Colman, CA [#613]
		Steve Johnston, MO [#]
	A/B Flight
	1st	Steve Mossbrook
	2nd	Donna Dixon
	3rd	Dick Engebretson
		Bob Riddell
	5th	Jean Egebretson
		Sheri Foroughi
		Marvin Salles
		Rich Schiller
	9th	Toni Kemp
	10th	David Cartwright
		Karen Comeau
		Hope Harmon
		Mary Rodeberg

7-11 December 2010
Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, CA, USA
by Leo Nikora

Paul Bennett of Phoenix, AZ, receiving the trophy for the 2010 United States Open at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, CA, USA.

The 2010 United States Open was won by Paul Bennett of Phoenix, AZ, beating Brian Cumming of Onterio, CA in the final, and upsetting Ben Rothman of Orinda, CA in the semi final. This is Bennett's third United States Open title. Leo Nikora of Rancho Mirage, CA, won the plate.

The first flight was won by Steve Mossbrook; second flight by Toni Kemp.

Thirty one people from the United States, Jersey, and Canada played in two flights (Open Flight and A/B Flight) on six double-banked courts at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. The players' world rankings (before the tournament) ranged from #8 to #613. The courts were in wonderful condition.

Advanced Association Rules were followed. Games were two hours long, with last turns and sudden death if necessary. Wilhoit balls were used. Rory Kelley directed the tournament.

A wonderful champagne brunch will be held beside the court during the finals of the event.

Pictures will be posted in the Mission Hills Croquet Club Gallery.

Open Flight

Eighteen players were divided into two blocks. The winners of each block entered medalist play, and the next four finishers of each block advanced to knockout play. The winner of medalist advanced to the finals of knockout, and the loser advanced to the semi finals of knockout. Players eliminated from the blocks and knockout competed in plate play.

Knockout

The second through fifth finishers of the two blocks (Blue Block and Black Block) were seeded into an eight-player single-elimination knockout, with matches being one two-hour game. The winner played the loser of the medalist in the one two-hour game semi-final match. The winner of the semi-final match played the winner of the medalist in the best-of-three two-hour games final match.

Open Knockout	(1st) Brian Cumming, ON [#82]				Bennett 26tp-0 0-26tp 26-19
(2nd) Rich Lamm, CO [#56]	Lamm ?	Lamm 26tp-0	Bennett 26-17	Bennett 26-15
(5th) Bob Van Tassell, CA [#148]
(4th) Johnny Mitchell, TX [#250]	Le Moignan 26tp-0
(3rd) Tony Le Moignan, JER [#20]
(3rd) Paul Bennett, AZ [#65]	Bennett 26tp-3	Bennett 26-9
(4th) Britt Ruby, TX [=164]
(5th) Leo Nikora , CA [#293]	Grimsley 26-13
(2nd) Doug Grimsley, VA [#36]
	(2nd) Ben Rothman, CA [#8]

Medalist

	Year	Winner, State
	2009	Ben Rothman, CA
	2008	Doug Grimsley, VA
	2007	Jerry Stark, CA
	2006	Paul Bennett, AZ
	2005	Jerry Stark, CA
	2004	Paul Bennett, AZ
	2003	Rich Lamm, CO
	2002	Rich Lamm, CO
	2001	David Maugham
	2000	Jeremy Dyer
	1999	Jacques Fournier, AZ
	1998	Jacques Fournier, AZ
	1997	Leo McBride, ON
	1996	Don Fournier, Jr, AZ
	1995	Mik Mehas, CA
	1994	Phil Arnold, CA
	1993	Wayne Rodoni, CA
	1992	Bob Rebuschatis, CA
	1991	John Taves, CA
	1990	Bob Rebuschatis, CA
	1989	Wayne Rodoni, CA
	1988	Neil Spooner

The winners of the two blocks (Blue Block and Black Block) played a best-of-three two-hour games medalist match. The winner advanced to the final match of knockout play, and the loser advanced to the semi-final match of knockout play.

(1st) Ben Rothman, CA [#8]	Cumming 26tp-0 26-15
(1st) Brian Cumming, ON [#82]

Plate

The sixth through the ninth finishers of the two blocks (Blue Block and Black Block) were seeded into a eight-player single-elimination plate, and the losers of the first two rounds of the knockout were also added to the plate.

Open Plate		Doug Grimsley, VA [#36]	Grimsley (default)	Nikora +26	Nikora +17
	(bye)	Kelley
(6th) Steve Johnston, MO [#]	Kelley +8
(9th) Rory Kelley, AZ [=313]
(8th) Ron Hendry, CA [#238]	Hendry +4	Ruby +23	Nikora 26-0
(6th) Martyn Selman, CA [#262]
	Britt Ruby, TX [=164]
		Leo Nikora , CA [#293]
		Tony Le Moignan, JER [#20]	Mitchell (default)	Mitchell ?
	Johnny Mitchell, TX [#250]	Mitchell +1
(7th) Charlie Smith, CA [#257]	Orgill +12
(8th) Mike Orgill, CA [#319]
(9th) Robert Colman, CA [#613]	Butts +16	Butts	Van Tassell +26
(7th) Jim Butts, CA [#202]
	(bye)
		Bob Van Tassell, CA [#148]

Blocks

There were two nine-player blocks: Blue Block and Black Block. Each block played a full round-robin plus one cross-block match, with matches being one two-hour game. The top player of each block advanced to the medalist, the next four to the knockout, and the last four to the plate.

Blue Block	Rothman	Lamm	Bennett	Butts	Mitchell	Selman	Nikora	Kelley	Orgill	cross-block
Ben Rothman, CA [#8]	1st	26tp-0	26tp-1	26tp-12	26-11	26tp-0	26tp-7	26tp-2	26tp-3	Le Moignan
Rich Lamm, CO [#56]		2nd	26tp-0	26tp-0	26-0		26-1	24-23	26tp-10	Grimsley 26tp-9
Paul Bennett, AZ [#65]			3rd	26-8	26-5	26tp-8	24-23	26-8	26-24	Cumming
Jim Butts, CA [#202]				7th				26-4	18-15	Van Tassell 26-8
Johnny Mitchell, TX [#250]				20-19	4th	23-12	26-9	26-11		Hendry 26-22
Martyn Selman, CA [#262]		26tp-9		16-15		6th	21-20			Smith 12-1
Leo Nikora , CA [#293]				22-18			5th	26-9	18-14	Coleman 26-4
Rory Kelley, AZ [=313]						26-9		9th	22-15	Ruby
Mike Orgill, CA [#319]					26-2	21-15			8th	Johnston 21-5
cross-block	Le Moignan 26tp-0	Grimsley	Cumming 22-9	Van Tassell	Hendry	Smith	Coleman	Ruby 22-16	Johnston

Black Block	Le Moignan	Grimsley	Cumming	Van Tassell	Ruby	Hendry	Smith	Coleman	Johnston	cross-block
Tony Le Moignan, JER [#20]	3rd					26-4	22-13	26tp-1	26-2	Rothman 26tp-0
Doug Grimsley, VA [#36]	26-16	2nd		26tp-0	26-0	26tp-1	26tp-0	26-6	26tp-9	Lamm
Brian Cumming, ON [#82]	26tp-0	26tp-0	1st	26-9	26tp-15	26tp-9	26-21	26tp-8		Bennett 22-9
Bob Van Tassell, CA [#148]	26-6			5th	21-14	14-8	22-13	22-9		Butts
Britt Ruby, TX [=164]	22-18				4th	26-2	18-20		26-10	Kelley 22-16
Ron Hendry, CA [#238]						8th	15-14	17-15	26-6	Mitchell
Charlie Smith, CA [#257]					22-18		7th	12-7		Selman 13-12
Robert Colman, CA [#613]								9th		Nikora
Steve Johnston, MO [#]			26-23	22-8			16-14	19-9	6th	Orgill
cross-block	Rothman	Lamm 26tp-9	Bennett	Butts 26-8	Kelley	Mitchell 26-22	Selman	Nikora 26-4	Orgill 21-5

A/B Flight

Thirteen players were divided into two blocks. The top four players in each block advanced to A Flight knockout play, and the remaining players advanced to B Flight knockout play.

A Flight Knockout

The first four finishers in the two blocks (Red Block and Yellow Block) were seeded into an eight-player single-elimination knockout. Matches were one two-hour game.

B Flight Knockout

The remaining finishers in the two blocks (Red Block and Yellow Block) were seeded into a four-player single-elimination knockout. Matches were one two-hour game.

Blocks

Red Block was a seven-player full round-robin. Yellow Block block was a six-player full round-robin plus one match. Each match was one two-hour game. The top four player of each block advanced to the A Flight Knockout, and the rest to the B Flight Knockout.