<h2>2027 St. Louis Gateway Open</h2>
<p><strong>A USA Pickleball Golden Ticket Event | 2027 Nationals Qualifier</strong></p>
<p>St. Louis is once again on the Path to Nationals!</p>
<p>Join us for the <strong>2027 St. Louis Gateway Open</strong>, a USA Pickleball Golden Ticket event bringing players together for four days of competitive pickleball in the St. Louis area.</p>
<p>The 2026 St. Louis Golden Ticket event welcomed <strong>465 players from 15 states and France</strong>. In 2027, we're looking forward to welcoming returning players and new faces from across the country for another great week of pickleball.</p>
<h3>THE PATH TO NATIONALS</h3>
<p>The St. Louis Gateway Open is an official <strong>USA Pickleball Golden Ticket qualifying event</strong> for the 2027 USA Pickleball National Championships.</p>
<p>Gold medal winners in qualifying divisions earn <strong>Golden Ticket status and priority registration</strong> for the USA Pickleball National Championships. Players also have the opportunity to earn Tiered Point System (TPS) points through their participation and results.</p>
<p><strong>USA Pickleball membership is required.</strong> Players must meet USA Pickleball's current membership requirements for participation in a Golden Ticket event.</p>
<h3>TOURNAMENT FORMAT</h3>
<p>Divisions will begin with <strong>Round Robin or Pool Play</strong>, followed by playoffs.</p>
<p><strong>Round Robin / Pool Play:</strong><br>
1 game to 15, win by 2</p>
<p><strong>Playoff Matches:</strong><br>
1 game to 15, win by 2</p>
<p><strong>Gold & Bronze Medal Matches:</strong><br>
Best 2 out of 3 games to 11, win by 2</p>
<p>Depending on bracket size, divisions may be divided into multiple pools. The number of teams advancing to the playoff round will be determined by bracket size and structure.</p>
<p><strong>Open / Prize Money Divisions:</strong><br>
Open divisions will advance to a <strong>double-elimination playoff</strong>. Additional information regarding prize money, payouts and Open division requirements will be posted separately.</p>
<h3>BRACKET MERGING & GOLDEN TICKET STATUS</h3>
<p>The Tournament Director reserves the right to <strong>merge or divide brackets, adjust bracket sizes, modify the number of teams advancing, and change the tournament format</strong> as needed based on registrations, withdrawals, scheduling, court availability or other tournament needs.</p>
<p>If age or skill divisions are combined for competition, <strong>medals and Golden Ticket status will be recognized according to each player's original registered division prior to the merge</strong>, in accordance with applicable USA Pickleball Golden Ticket rules.</p>
<p>This means a bracket may compete together on the court while medals and Golden Ticket qualification are determined according to the original qualifying skill/age divisions.</p>
<h3>RATINGS, AGE & SKILL LEVEL</h3>
<p><strong>Player ratings are locked at the time of registration.</strong> A player's rating at registration will be used to determine eligibility for the division entered, subject to USA Pickleball requirements and Tournament Director review.</p>
<p>Except for Junior divisions, players may <strong>play down in age</strong> and may request to <strong>play up in skill</strong>, subject to USA Pickleball rules and Tournament Director approval. Players may not register below their eligible skill level.</p>
<p>For doubles events, bracket eligibility is determined by the appropriate age and skill requirements for the team. Players are responsible for registering in an eligible division.</p>
<h3>USA PICKLEBALL SANCTIONED PLAY</h3>
<p>This is a USA Pickleball sanctioned event. All players are responsible for knowing and following current USA Pickleball rules.</p>
<p>All paddles used in tournament play must meet current <strong>USA Pickleball approved equipment requirements</strong>. Players are responsible for confirming that their paddle is approved prior to competition.</p>
<p>Referees will be assigned in accordance with USA Pickleball sanctioning and MMP requirements.</p>
<h3>BEFORE YOU REGISTER</h3>
<p>Players are responsible for making sure their registration information is accurate and that all required accounts and memberships are current.</p>
<p>For doubles events, <strong>both partners must register, pay and be paired together</strong> before the team is considered complete. Players are responsible for finding and confirming their own partners.</p>
<h3>QUESTIONS? START HERE.</h3>
<p>We've created a dedicated tournament website to help players prepare for the St. Louis Gateway Open.</p>
<p>For <strong>Golden Ticket FAQs, player eligibility, membership requirements, ratings, bracket information, venue details, hotels, travel information, schedules, sponsors and tournament updates</strong>, visit:</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://stlouisgatewayopen.com/" target="_blank">StLouisGatewayOpen.com</a></strong></p>
<p>We strongly encourage players to review the tournament website and FAQ before registering, especially if you have questions about <strong>Golden Ticket eligibility, ratings, age/skill divisions or combined brackets.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Come compete in St. Louis. Take your shot at a Golden Ticket. We'll see you on the courts!</strong></p>
