Keith Bennett won his second Jacoby Custom Cue Carolina Tour event of the year on the weekend of July 24-25. He went undefeated, putting a stop to Sam Monday twice to earn the first place prize. It was also Bennett's second recorded victory of the year, overall. He'd been among the final 10 in nine separate events, dating back to his first Jacoby win of the year, back in January. He'd finished in second place in four of his last five events, dating back to April, when Stevie Moore had gotten by him on a Seminole Pro Tour stop in Jacksonville, FL. The $1,000-added stop on the Jacoby Tour, drew 16 entrants to Break Time Billiards in Wilmington, NC.
Bennett and Monday met for the first time, among the winners' side final four, vying for a chance to get into the hot seat match. It was Bennett advancing to that match with a 7-3 win, as Michael Fuller was sending B.J. Ussery west 7-4. Bennett sent Fuller over 7-3 to gain the hot seat and waited for Monday's return.
That return began against Hindu Williams, who'd defeated Rodney Strickland 7-4 and survived a double hill battle over Arnold Hamlett to reach him. Ussery picked up Jared McGee, who'd advanced past Larry Faulk, double hill, and Jackson Jeffries 7-2 (Jeffries would go on to win the event's three-entrant Juniors competition and the Break Contest). Ussery survived a double hill battle against McGee to advance to the quarterfinals, and Monday joined him on the heels of a 7-5 win over Williams. Monday got into the semifinals with a 7-5 win over Ussery and then sent Fuller home 7-4, for a second chance at Bennett.
Monday opened the single-race-to-11 finals with three straight racks. Bennett came back with two and Monday got one back. At 4-2, Bennett when on a three-rack run of his own, breaking and running the last of them to get out in front 5-4. Monday tied it up, but it was all Bennett from there. He won six in a row to clinch it.
A Friday night Early Bird tournament drew 15 entrants, and saw Barry Irving hang on and win a double-hill contest over Dana Hallet in the finals. Hindu Williams finished third, and Sam Monday finished fourth. The seven-entrant Second Chance tournament on Sunday was won by Larry Faulk, with a 7-2 finals victory over Nolan Leonard. Jackson Jeffries finished the three-entrant Juniors tournament with a 7-1 victory in the finals and won the break contest. Terry Faulk was declared the event's ladies winner. Two names were drawn for the Break and Run contest; B.J. Ussery and Hindu Williams. Neither was successful, which notched the per-ball ante up to $105 for the tour's next stop. A $600, Limited Edition Jacoby Custom Cue was won by Anton Hall.
