The World Trick Shot Championships is a worldwide championship of trick shot pool. The competition first took place on snooker boards in 1991. It was organized by Matchroom Sport. Players were judged based on technical merit and presentation style. In 2005, the competition took place at Celtic Manor.
Many professional billiards players from around the world began performing tricks shots in the 1970s. These players were awarded prizes like the World Championship of Artistic Pool, International Challenge Cup, or the Swedish Championship. Today trick shot is a sanctioned form of pool by the World Pool-Billiard Society. Apart from participating in tournaments, trick shooters also teach the sport.
Since the late 1970s, Mike Massey has been one of the most well-known trick shot artists in the world. Massey has shared many games with athletes like Jason Gedrick or Paul Sorvino. Massey is also an instructor and fund-raiser for the sport. His performances at the Waste Management Pheonix Open and the Volvo PGA at Wentworth have garnered him a significant level of visibility.
Mike Massey has taught many professionals in the sport including Scott Baiin, Dean Cain and James Tolkan. He has participated in many international professional competitions. The team performed at both the HSBC Championships Abu Dhabi as well as the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Jim Sommer is another amazing trick shot artist. He has competed in many international Trick shot turning events. He is the US Nationals Artistic Pool Championship Champion.
The World Trick Shot Artists Association is an international organization that brings together trick shot artists from around the globe. Paul Gerni is the organizer of the association. There are 160 tricks in the WTSAA book. Some of these tricks include the machine gun shot, the "kick" shot, and the quick-fire shot. The "pro" shot and "extreme cut shots are just a few of the trick shots.
Tim "The Dragon", the 2022 US Nationals Artistic Pool Champion in Artistic Pool, won the title by beating Jason "The Michigan Kid", Lynch in the finals. Both Lynch, Chin, and Lynch have been WPA World Ranked. However, Chin has the advantage of being a seasoned professional, while Lynch is still a student at Ohio State.
October 9-10 will see the next Trick Shot Magic event. The competition will feature eight international superstars of the sport. The prize pool is $40,000. Each player will get to choose between six and ten of the predetermined shots. Each player will have three chances to complete each shot after they've chosen their favorite shots. Those who make a successful shot will earn a point.
Geoff McIlroy was the best trick shot artist of all time for many years. He became inspired to play trick shots after watching Noel Hunt. He's been to many places and met people he never anticipated, but he is determined to keep trying.