2010 NC Open info & entry form

Championship Qualifying Division: April 29 – May 2 Championship Flight: June 10–13 Pinehurst, NC, USA

Overview

The NC Open is an Association Croquet (i.e., “International Rules”) singles tournament, sanctioned by the USCA. It will be held on four lawns at the Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, with an extra lawn at the Longleaf Country Club if needed. Dawson balls will be used.

Entry is open to all players who are current members in good standing of a WCF-affiliated croquet association (such as the USCA, Croq-Can, or the British CA).

The entry fee is US$175 per player. This includes all court fees, USCA sanction fee, and a Tournament Dinner. (Lunches are not included in the entry fee.) Non-playing guests may attend the Tournament Dinner for US$40.

This is a popular tournament. The earlier you enter, the better your chance of getting in.

Details: Championship Qualifying Division

Available for players who would not qualify for this year’s Championship Flight. Entry is first-come, first-served, for up to 24 players. The top two finishers will earn automatic berths to the 2010 NC Open Championship Flight (or may continue to play in Championship Qualifying events, as they prefer).

Flight assignments will be made by the tournament committee (requests to “play up” will be considered). Usually there is one large flight for all players, and that is the preferred format. However, if the entry comprises a very wide handicap range there will be multiple flights.

Championship Qualifying games will be 26-point advanced play with time limits. Higher-handicap flights, if any, will probably be some form of handicap (bisque) play.

Details: Championship Flight

Room for 28 players. Through March 26th, entries (other than automatic qualifications) will be allocated by ranking. After March 26th any open spots will be allocated by entry date, to players who meet the minimum requirements (world ranking grade of 1600 or higher, or USCA handicap of 3 or lower). The waiting list will work the same way: through February 8th the waiting list will be ordered by ranking; after that the existing order will be fixed and new entries will be added to the bottom by date.

About entry ranking order:

The primary determinant will be World Ranking grade, using the most recent available data. Players without a current World Ranking will be assigned a provisional grade according to the judgment of the tournament committee.

Automatic qualifications (must be claimed by March 26th):
Brian Cumming 2008 NC Open winner
Doug Grimsley 2009 National doubles winner
Horace Hayworth 2008 Championship Qualifying winner
Danny Huneycutt 2008 NC Open semi-finalist
John Knott 2008 Championship Qualifying finalist
Leo McBride 2008 NC Open finalist
Ben Rothman 2009 Selection 8s winner, National singles winner, National doubles winner
Jeff Soo 2008 NC Open semi-finalist
Format:

Advanced International Rules singles with no time limits. The Main Event will be a best-of-three-games knockout ladder. Up to half the players will be seeded; the rest will be distributed by random draw. The Plate (consolation event) will be in the Flexible Swiss or Egyptian format. The format is subject to change without notice.

Entry forms

Download entry form—PDF file, 25kB

Note

The format and conditions for any flight are subject to change without notice.

Past Champions

1994 Mack Penwell
1995 Paul Scott
1996 Bill Berne
1997 Mack Penwell
1998 Mack Penwell
1999 Leo McBride
2000 Jeff Soo
2001 Jeff Soo
2002 Wynand Louw
2003 Kenster Rosenberry
2004 Wynand Louw
2005 Bob Cherry
2006 Paul Scott
2007 Danny Huneycutt
2008 Brian Cumming
2009 [was not played]