Keith Bennett
On Saturday, October 6, Keith Bennett chalked up his second victory on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, and for the second time, it came without benefit of a final match. Bennett advanced undefeated to the hot seat and was scheduled to face Don Williams, who’d won eight in a row on the loss side (including a bye) to meet him. They opted out of final match, leaving Bennett, undefeated in the hot seat, as the official winner. The event drew 23 entrants to Shotmakers in Garner, NC.
With Williams already at work on the loss side, Bennett advanced to a winners’ side semifinal against Anthony Mabe, as Barry Mashburn faced Kristy Norris in the other one. Bennett downed Mashburn 11-5 and in the hot seat match, faced Mashburn, who’d defeated Norris in a double hill fight. Bennett claimed the hot seat 11-6 over Mashburn and waited for Williams to complete his loss-side run.
Williams, after an opening round loss to Billie Spatafora, was awarded a loss-side bye, and added three victories before downing Shaun Apple 8-4 and JT Ringgold 8-1, to draw Norris. Mabe picked up Kevin Ping, who’d eliminated Don Lilly 7-4 and James Blackburn, double hill (7-8). Mabe and Norris picked up their second straight loss and were eliminated; Mabe by Ping 7-5 and Norris 8-5 by Williams.
In the first money match, Williams downed Ping 8-5 in the quarterfinals. He completed his loss side run with an 8-6 victory over Mashburn. Williams and Bennett made the decision to forego a final match, allowing Bennett to capture his second straight Q City 9-Ball title in a little over a month.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Shotmakers, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, Delta 13 Racks, AZ Billiards and Professor Q-Ball. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend (Oct. 13-14), will be hosted by The Clubhouse in Lynchburg, VA.
