Some tournaments are just really tough to win and the Music City Open at JOB's in Nashville has always been one of the toughest. Jonathon Hennessee was the one left standing after all the other bodies fell this year and he and second-place finisher Chad Vilmont had the scars to show for their efforts.
Hennessee was cruising right along through the winner's side until he ran into Mike Dunkin. Dunkin was in no mood to lose and put up a great fight. He took Hennessee to the hill for the closest shave that Hennessee would get all week at 11-10. This wake-up call must have startled Hennessee back into focus as he took on the ever-strong Stevie Moore next and destroyed him 11-2!
There would be no rest for the weary. Hennessee then had to face Shane Van Boening for the right to the hot seat. Van Boening had just sent Shawn Putnam over to the one-loss side and came to the table with that same calm, never-shake attitude that opponents the world over have learned to dread. But Hennessee handled the quiet one 11-6 and relaxed in the heated chair to await the winner of the one-loss tumult.
His eventual opponent was Chad Vilmont. Vilmont spent most of the tournament on the one-loss side and only got stronger with use. He became the executioner of the left-hand bracket by taking down, in order, Chris Bartram (11-5), Karen Corr (11-10), Johnny Archer (11-8), Davis Rice (11-7), Shane Van Boening (11-7) and Shawn Putnam (11-3). To book his ticket into the final arena Vilmont dispatched Chuck Ralston 11-2.
Vilmont was still warm when he faced off against Hennessee. But this is a true double-eliination tournament so he would have to win two consecutive sets to claim the win. Against Hennesy this was just too much to ask. While Vilmont played well enough to keep it respectfully close, Mr. Hennessy was on his game this day and claimed the Music City Open Championship for 2009 with a solid 11-7 victory in the premier set.
