Shannon Daulton, Steven Gonzalez, Josh Roberts, & James Carroll (Manager at Shore Thing Billiards)
Steven Gonzalez, an A handicap player, held off one double A player, Jeff Abernathy, to get into the hot seat, and a second double A player, Josh Roberts, in the finals to win the Labor Day weekend stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour. The $1,200-added event drew 40 entrants to Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC.
From among the winners' side final four, Gonzalez faced the last B player in the winners' bracket, David Styers, who'd just sent Roberts to the loss side. Abernathy, in the meantime, squared off against Greg Dix. Gonzalez sent Styers to the loss side 9-4, and in the hot seat match, faced Abernathy, who got by Dix 11-7. Gonzalez got into the hot seat with a strong 9-6 showing over Abernathy, and waited for Roberts to finish his loss-side campaign.
Roberts began his five-match, 55-18 journey back to the finals with 11-3 victories over J.R. Poste and Stevie McClinton, which set him up to face Dix. Styers drew Wendell Thompkins, who'd gotten by Al Fricano 9-3 and David Slaughter 9-5. Roberts dropped Dix into the tie for fifth place 11-5, and when Styers downed Thompkins 7-3, the quarterfinal re-match was on.
Roberts wreaked his vengeance on Styers 11-3, and then defeated Abernathy in the semifinals 11-4 to complete his loss-side run. He then took the opening set of the true double elimination final against Gonzalez 11-3. The two battled to double hill in the second set before Gonzalez prevailed to capture the event title.
Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Shore Thing Billiards' owners Brent and Ann Hudgin for their hospitality, and later, offered congratulations to the two on the September 6 birth of their daughter. They also thanked sponsors Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.
