Houston's Shahram Changezi has won Event 2 of the 2026 United States Snooker Association (USSA) National Tour, after winning the 2026 Wiraka Colorado Snooker Open at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Boulder, Colorado.

Changezi started the event as one of the early favorites to take the title, and he came through his group in such a fashion to reflect this as he cruised to three successive 2-0 victories over opponents Abhishek Lingashetty, Mitchell Sayre and Colin Holgate.

Changezi advanced out from his group to face Ray McCarthy in the round of 16, and breaks of 64 and 40 helped him to secure a 3-0 success over the Californian. He then proceeded to score another 3-0 success over his fellow Texan Ernst Bezemer in the quarterfinals.

Changezi, who practices his snooker at Q Billiards in Houston, would face a much more stern test in the semifinals against the former professional and six-times United States National Snooker Champion Ahmed Aly Elsayed, who earlier in the round of 16 compiled the highest break of the event with a briliant 131.

Though while the New Yorker took the first frame assisted with a run of 47, Changezi then produced respective breaks of 47, 35, 59 and 40 to reel off the following four frames to secure his place in the final.

Andy McCloskey, the reigning Seattle Snooker Champion and a semifinalist in last year's United States National Snooker Championship, was Changezi's challenger in the final.

The Californian's progress to the final saw him top his group with 2-0 defeats of Kennyth Juarez, Neil Cavendish and Scott Suling, and overcoming David Hunt 3-0 in the round of 16.

McCloskey felt the pressure in the quarterfinals as he sealed a hard fought fifth frame black-ball game victory over the 2022 United States National Snooker Championship semifinalist, Bob Hemnani, though delivered a comprehensive 4-0 semifinal win over the defending Colorado Snooker Open champion, Dave Daly.

Changezi and McCloskey battled-out a tremendous high-quality encounter that went to a thrilling final frame. At no stage during the match did either player hold more than a one frame advantage, as the pair traded blows on the green baize.

It was Changezi though who compiled his top break of the tie in that final frame, as he stroked in a run of 54 which helped him seal the frame and title 5-4.

The USSA would like to praise Colorado Snooker's Mark Wilson for all of his hard work in delivering a wonderful USSA National Tour event, which attracted some of the nation's top competitors to compete in a very beautiful hotel setting. Wilson has a huge passion for snooker and is committed to the promotion and development of the sport, and to help players take their game to the next level.

You can find out more about Colorado Snooker by visiting the website: www.coloradosnooker.com