Johnny Archer has won the Turning Stone Classic XIV and in so doing has accomplished the unheard of feat of winning the last three consecutive points ranking events in the USA. This will cement Archer's position as the number one player in the USA.
Archer had a phenomenal week that was topped by a narrow escape from a charging Rodney Morris in the final race to 13. In the final Archer established a nice 7-2 lead after first trailing 2-0. But when he moved that margin to 12-7 Morris began to come back on him and brought the score line as close as 12-11 before scratching on his final break, giving Archer ball in hand. Archer took the gift and ran out the rack for the win.
Among those who felt the sting of the Scorpion's cue this week were Shane Van Boening, whom Archer sent to the one-loss side 9-5 and Thorsten Hohmann who got similar treatment 9-6. Mosconi Cup teammate Dennis Hatch then threw up a roadblock in the path to victory by defeating Archer 9-6. Archer then ended the tournament for good friend Stevie Moore 9-4 and Marcus Chamat, also 9-4. Archer then bested Charlie Williams 9-5 only to have to face another good friend (and his business partner) Kim Davenport. Here he avenged the loss he suffered to Davenport at the US Open this year by defeating Davenport 9-5. He then had to get by an exhausted Dennis Hatch to earn his berth in the finals. Hatch told us before the match that he was just “out of gas” and that he was so tired that he was shaking on his shots, something he just does not do. Archer murdered him 9-1.
As mentioned, in the finals Archer faced the heretofore-undefeated Rodney Morris. Morris had just beaten Mosconi Cup MVP Dennis Hatch to earn his hot seat and looked as sharp as ever, but Archer was simply too much to handle and won that match and the event.
