The WPH R48Pro Mardi Gras Open from New Orleans kicks off today (Friday 22d Jan) with three Irish men in the draw.
Paul Brady (Cavan) occupies the #1 seed given his dominance in the WPH events in the last year, but he will face a rough opening game against Cork speedster Killian Carroll in what is a repeat of the 2015 World Final in Calgary. That is of course if Killian advances over Texan Jonathon Pollard in tonights Qualifier.
The next highest ranked player in the top half of the draw is Tucson's Luis Moreno, who enters with the #4 seed. Moreno of course is only one of two players to have defeated Brady in the last seven years, and was Brady's opponent in the 2012 World Final.
The other Irishman in contention is Mayo's Stephen Cooney, who awaits the winner of Ryan Bowler (Can) & Billy O'Donnell (NY) in the Round of 16. A win here would set Cooney up with a likely QF with US #1 Sean Lenning.
Keep up to date with results on GAA Handball's Facebook page and through the online brackets at the below link.