Field Cut to 16 as 2025 Pan American Open Snooker Championship Heats Up

The 2025 Pan American Open Snooker Championship has wrapped up its round of 32 stage, with thrilling contests paving the way for an exciting round of 16. Fans were treated to dramatic comebacks, steady performances, and a display of top-level snooker as the knockout phase heated up.

One of the most gripping matches featured Itaro Santos of Brazil against Ajeya Prabhakar of the United States. Prabhakar took control early, winning the first two frames with breaks of 37 and 42. But Santos showed resilience, producing a solid score of 63 in the third frame before adding a break of 49 in fourth frame to set the decider. Ajeya had a great chance to pull the deciding frame and he made a break of 46. After that Santos made a strong comeback with a break of 37 and then placed couple of snookers to turn the table around and confirmed his place in last 16.

The all-American clash between Daniel Holoyda and Andy McCloskey also went the distance. Holoyda, who lives in Poland, made a confident start with a 31 break in the opener and later strung together contributions of 34 and 35 to secure the third frame. McCloskey responded with a 38 in the fourth to force a decider, but Holoyda kept his composure, sealing a 3–2 win and his spot in the last 16.

Another tight battle saw Daren Mark Taylor take on Fawad Sediqi, both from the United States. After dropping the first frame, Taylor rallied with composed scoring, highlighted by breaks of 60 and 65. Despite Sediqi’s 43 in the third frame, Taylor proved the steadier player down the stretch, closing out another 3–2 victory to move forward.

Several established names also confirmed their place in the Round of 16. Igor Figueiredo of Brazil, the top seed and 2024 World Seniors Snooker champion, advanced in style, while his compatriots Fabio Anderson Luersen and Noel Rodrigues Moreira also progressed. The United States will be well represented with Renat Denkha and Tom Limor still in the mix, and Charlie Brown of Canada kept his nation’s hopes alive with a strong performance.

With only 16 players remaining, the stage is set for more high-quality contests as the competition intensifies. The next round will not only determine the quarterfinalists but also further shape the path toward the prestigious 2025 Pan American Open Snooker Championship crown leading to the WPBSA Pro Snooker Tour card, with fans eagerly awaiting the standout performances that will define this year’s event.