Jesse Bowman won his third straight match at Shooter's in Olathe, KS, defeating Beau Runningen twice to take first place in the Open 9-Ball event of the Midwest 9-Ball Tour on the weekend of October 30-31. The $3,500-added Open 9-Ball event drew 98 entrants.
In a concurrent, $500-added Ladies event, which drew 15 competitors, Nicole Keeney defeated Karen Lincoln 7-2 in a single-set final to bring home the first place prize. Lincoln had defeated Jessica Frideres 7-5 in the semifinals. Apryl McGill finished in fourth place.
Bowman and Runningen met first in the hot seat match after identical 9-4 victories over Eric Obermier and David Matlock, respectively. With a 9-6 win, Bowman sat in the hot seat and waited for Runningen's return from the semifinals.
On the one-loss side, the winner of the tour's One-Pocket event, Shane McMinn, was on a collision course to meet Runningen, who'd sent him west from among the winners' side final eight. But not before he (McMinn) squared off against the man he'd faced in the finals of the One-Pocket event, Chip Compton. McMinn won his first match the one-loss side 9-4 against Justin Gunia, as Compton (sent west by Matlock), was busy dropping Whitey Walker into the 9-12 slots with a double hill win. Compton and McMinn squared off for the right to meet Obermier, with McMinn prevailing 9-5. Chad Belmont, in the meantime, following a shutout over Jeff Montgomery , and a 9-4 win over David Jordan faced Matlock. It was Matlock and McMinn advancing to the quarterfinals; Matlock with a 9-4 win over Belmont, McMinn defeating Obermier 9-7.
McMinn then dropped Matlock into fourth place with a 9-5 win, and advanced to the semifinals. It was more than a rematch from an earlier time of day. Two days prior, it had been McMinn who sent Runningen to the semifinals in the One-Pocket event, where he faced Compton, and did not return. This time, though, it was Runningen who came out on top, defeating McMinn 9-7 and getting a second chance at Bowman.
Bowman made a second set in what was a true double elimination final unnecessary. He got out in front of Runningen and stayed there, winning the single race 9-4 to complete his undefeated run and third straight win on the Midwest 9-Ball Tour at Shooters.
1st Jesse Bowman $2,000
2nd Beau Runningen $1,500
3rd Shane McMinn $900
4th David Matlock $600
5th Chad Vilmont $400
Eric Obermier
7th David Jordan $300
Chip Compton
9th Jeff Montgomery $175
Whitey Walker
13th Pun $125
17th Tommy Tokoph $100
Ladies Event
1st Nicole Keeney $425
2nd Karen Lincoln $300
3rd Jessica Frideres $200
4th Apryl McGill $100
