David Deschenes (TD), Danny Hewitt and Yan Ialande (TD)
Like everybody else, Canada’s Danny Hewitt’s been on a bit of a hiatus from the pool tables. Last ‘seen’ on the roster of Turning Stone XXXIII back in January, when he finished in the eight-way tie for 17th place, Hewitt returned to the tables on Sunday, September 20 at the debut stop on the 2020 Predator Quebec Pro Am Tour. Hewitt went undefeated through a field of 16 entrants at the $1,300-added event which was hosted by Billard-Lounge L’Abasie in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada. The field of 16 was populated by eight of the top-ranked Canadian players, combined with four players each from two qualifying tournaments held the day before at separate locations.
Hewitt opened his undefeated campaign with a 7-1 victory over Rene Brind’Amour and followed it with a 7-5 win over Vincent Beaurivage. This set Hewitt up in a winners’ side semifinal match against Martin Daigle. In the meantime, Sylvain Gringas got by Harold Rousseau 7-2 and Tommy Cayer, double hill, to arrive at his winners’ side semifinal match against Tom Théiault.
Hewitt sent Daigle to the loss side 7-3 and in the hot seat match, faced Gingras, who’d defeated Thériault 7-5. Hewitt and Gingras battled to double hill before Hewitt prevailed to wait in the hot seat for what turned out to be the return of Francis Crevier.
Crevier, who’d won his opening match 7-5 over Jonathan Gavreau, was sent to the loss side by Thériault in a winners’ side quarterfinal. On the loss side, he downed Brind’Amour and Cayer, both 7-4 to draw Daigle. Thériault picked up Alain Martel, who’d lost his opening match to Cayer and was in the midst of a three-match, loss-side winning streak that was about to come to an end. He’d recently eliminated Sebastien Laramée 7-3 and Beaurivage 7-5.
Thériault and Crevier earned their rematch. Thériault survived a double hill match versus Martel. Crevier came within a game of double hill against Daigle, but prevailed 7-5. Crevier had a successful rematch against Thériault, eliminating him 7-5 in the quarterfinals.
Crevier completed his five-match, loss-side winning streak with a 7-4 victory over Gingras in the semifinals. Hewitt, though, apparently unaffected by his wait in the hot seat, completed his five-match, winners’ side streak with a 7-5 win over Crevier that earned him the debut event title.
Tour owners and directors David Blanchett, David Deschenes and Yan Ialande thanked the ownership and staff at Billard-Lounge L’Abasie for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Predator Cues, Arcos II Billiard Balls and Poison Cues. Stop #2 on the 2020 Predator Quebec Pro Am Tour, scheduled for this Saturday, Sept. 26, will be hosted by Dooly’s in St. Hyacinthe, about 33 miles east of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
