Corey Deuel has won the Derby City Classic Ring Game.
The first player eliminated was Charlie Williams who did not win a rack and was sent to the bleachers after game 16. At that time, Deuel led with $10,200 and Pagulayan was tied with Earl Strickland for low man at $3600.
At the dinner break, Jimmy Wetch had taken a small lead at $8900. Deuel was a close second at $8700 and Rodney Morris was low man at $3200. Wetch did not win a game after that and was eliminated after the 33rd rack. Pagulayan held a commanding lead at that time with $11,600 compared to Earl Strickland in second place with $6,600.
Seven racks later, Strickland was the third player eliminated. Pagulayan had then pumped his bank roll to $17,100, while Deuel had $6700 and Morris had $6200.
Morris went winless after that and was eliminated four racks later. This left Pagulayan and Deuel playing for $4000 a rack. Deuel held a slight lead at that time with $16,700 compared to $13,300 for Pagulayan.
Deuel won rack 45 to push his total to $20,700, but the players traded racks after that. The pattern of trading racks ended in rack 49 when Pagulayan won back to back and pulled ahead $17,300 to $12,700.
Pagulayan won the next rack to pull ahead $21,300 to $8,700 and then won the next game to push his bank roll to $25,300.
The wager went to $4700 per game at that time and Alex was on his way to ending the event when he missed a very makeable 5-ball in the corner and let Deuel back into the match. Deuel ran out that rack to get back to $9400 compared to Pagulayan at $20,600.
The next rack was for $9400 and was a break and run for Deuel to give him the lead again at $18,800 to $11,200.
The next rack was played for $11,200. The players went back and forth on the one-ball with neither player having a real makeable shot until Deuel missed a combo leaving Alex the opportunity to get back into the match. Pagulayan ran down to the 8-ball and scratched in the side pocket to give the match to Deuel.
First place in this 'winner take all' event was $30,000 to be paid to Corey's sponsor, The Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Photo courtesy of Chantal Vezina
