At the recently-completed 2007 NC Open (played April 11–14 at Pinehurst and Longleaf), Danny Huneycutt put on a display of confident and controlled shot-making to win his first NC Open title. He also won the Biscuit Barrel, awarded to the top peeler at the tournament, with six triple peels in eleven games. And he has cracked the top 20 in the World Rankings, solidifying his position as the top-ranked player in North America.

While the 2007 NC Open field was weaker overall than it has been in recent years, there was still plenty of competition at the top. Eight of the top 20 North American players were in the field, including three of Huneycutt’s teammates from Team USA at the 2006 MacRobertson Shield.

Is Huneycutt North America’s best Association Croquet player? There’s no question about his position on the ranking list, but what that means is open to debate. He will be unable to play in the Association Croquet National Championships later this month, so the debate may continue for quite a while.

What is certain is that Huneycutt’s game continues to improve. He has increased the accuracy of his croquet strokes, while his shooting is as good as ever. He was error-free in the NC Open final, hitting the lift in both games, and finishing with triple peels.