Van Boening, Waddingham Roll as Styer, Archer Exit Shootout Opener
Sixteen first-round matches on the TV table cut the 32-man National Shootout field in half on Tuesday — with one result still awaiting a clear answer.
The headline event of the 2026 Ultimate Pool USA Grand Finals got its first full day on Tuesday at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort, and by the end of a marathon session on the TV arena table the National Shootout's 32-man field had been cut in half.
The two biggest names in the draw needed little time to make their statements. Shane Van Boening raced past Dalton Comstock 9-1, and defending champion Craig Waddingham was nearly as untouchable in a 9-2 win over Jordan Helfery.
Favorites roll, a few sweat it out
Rodney Morris was almost as emphatic as the headliners, dispatching Alex Olinger 8-2, while Joven Bustamante ended the run of the last man into the field — qualifier Landon Hollingsworth — 7-1. Chris Melling (6-1 over Joey Gray), Dennis Hatch (6-2 over Sam Henderson) and Tom Cousins (5-1 over Hayden Ernst) also advanced comfortably.
The tight contests of the round went the distance. Oscar Dominguez edged Brandon Shuff 5-4, Roberto Gomez did the same to Shane Thompson, Shane McMinn slipped past Gerson Martinez 4-3, and Justin Bergman and Joe Prince closed out Chase Stumfoll 5-3 and Ricky Evans 5-3 respectively.
Two matches finished level and had to be settled by the deciding shootout used in the Ultimate Pool format. Manny Perez got the better of David Matlock after a 5-5 tie, and Declan Brennan knocked out Johnny Archer after the pair finished 3-3 — the second straight year Brennan has ended Archer's Shootout run, having also beaten him in the 2025 quarterfinals.
Styer, Archer headline the exits
The biggest casualty of the opening round was Tyler Styer, who was pushed all the way before falling 5-4 to Venezuela's Jesus Atencio. Archer's shootout loss to Brennan removes another of the field's biggest draws, while David Matlock — Ultimate Pool USA's first Hall of Fame inductee — also exits after his shootout defeat to Perez.
One result the record has not settled
The evening's strangest entry is Skyler Woodward's first-round pairing with Eric Charlton. DigitalPool's scoring line records a 5-1 win for Charlton, yet the same bracket flags Woodward as the winner and slots him into round two. Inside Spin's event page carries the same contradiction — a score line for Charlton, an advancement for Woodward. Until the record is corrected, the score has to be treated as unofficial; what is certain is that Woodward is listed to play Oscar Dominguez in the last 16.
Complete first-round results
| Winner | Score | Loser |
|---|---|---|
| Manny Perez | 5-5* | David Matlock |
| Shane Van Boening | 9-1 | Dalton Comstock |
| Tom Cousins | 5-1 | Hayden Ernst |
| Shane McMinn | 4-3 | Gerson Martinez |
| Chris Melling | 6-1 | Joey Gray |
| Dennis Hatch | 6-2 | Sam Henderson |
| Jesus Atencio | 5-4 | Tyler Styer |
| Craig Waddingham | 9-2 | Jordan Helfery |
| Joven Bustamante | 7-1 | Landon Hollingsworth |
| Roberto Gomez | 5-4 | Shane Thompson |
| Skyler Woodward | 1-5** | Eric Charlton |
| Oscar Dominguez | 5-4 | Brandon Shuff |
| Justin Bergman | 5-3 | Chase Stumfoll |
| Declan Brennan | 3-3* | Johnny Archer |
| Rodney Morris | 8-2 | Alex Olinger |
| Joe Prince | 5-3 | Ricky Evans |
*Won the deciding shootout after finishing level. **As recorded — the score line and the bracket advancement conflict; see above.
Pairs events get going
The open events joined the program on Tuesday evening. The National Pairs and National Mixed Pairs — both sold out weeks ago — played their first sessions and run through Friday, with roughly half of each bracket's first day of matches already in the books.
What is next
The Shootout's last 16 plays out across Wednesday, all on the TV table. Van Boening meets Perez in the opener at 10:00 a.m. ET, and the round's marquee pairing is Woodward against Dominguez at 1:45 p.m., with Chris Melling against Dennis Hatch and Atencio against Waddingham also on the card. The quarterfinals follow in the evening, and the final is scheduled for around 10:30 p.m. ET.
For another take on the opening round, SportShorts has its own recap of the day's action.