Mike Davis took time away from his duties as a member of the World Professional Billiard League's Las Vegas Dice team to participate in a stop on the Planet Pool Tour on the weekend of January 5-6. He finished the $500-added Open event that drew 42 entrants to VIP Billiards in Catonsville, MD undefeated, but not before being challenged by Alan Duty, who'd won nine matches on the loss side to meet him in the finals. In a concurrently-run event that drew 13, Kim Whitman took top honors in the Ladies Division of the tour stop.
As his eventual challenger in the finals was working his way through the west bracket where he'd been since the opening round of play, Davis worked his way through Paul Duty, Tony Long, and Brady Bounds to move among the winners' side final four and a match against Ted Harris. Brett Stottlemeyer and Danny Green squared off in the other winners' side semifinal. Davis defeated Harris 9-6 and was met in the hot seat match by Green, who'd downed Stottlemeyer 9-4. Green battled Davis to double hill before moving to the semifinals, leaving Davis in the hot seat.
On the loss side, Alan Duty chalked up five wins (including a bye) to move into the 9/12 round of play, where he defeated Paul Ho 7-3, and then, Shaun Wilkie 7-5 to hook up with Harris. Stottlemeyer drew David Zecena, who'd survived a double hill match against Dustin Paris and defeated Bounds 7-5. By identical 7-3 scores over Harris and Zecena, Duty and Stottlemeyer advanced to the quarterfinals.
Duty then took two 7-5 scores to get by Stottlemeyer, and then, in the semifinals, Green. Duty didn't know it at the time, but he'd won his last game of the weekend. He moved into the finals against Davis, who shut him out to claim the event title.
On the Ladies' side, Kim Whitman returned from a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Borana Andoni in the battle for the hot seat to defeat her in the finals 7-3. Whitman had moved west and defeated Alexandra Calabrese 5-2. Calabrese had advanced to meet Whitman after a 5-3 victory over Linda Shea in the quarterfinals.
Tour directors Mike Ricciardella and Jose Burgos thanked VIP Billiards' owner Steve Didier and his staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsor Black Heart Tips.
Open
1st Mike Davis $800
2nd Alan Duty $525
3rd Danny Green $240
4th Brett Stottlemeyer $150
5th Ted Harris $100
David Zecena
7th Shaun Wilkie $75
Brady Bounds
Ladies
1st Kim Whitman $450
2nd Borana Andoni $225
3rd Alexandra Calabrese $140
4th Linda Shea $100
