Joe Hughes, Shannon Daulton, & Rick Winpiglar
It took Joe Hughes five matches to get into the finals of the Great Southern Billiard Tour stop on the weekend of April 14-15. It took his opponent, Rick Winpiglar, who'd gone to the loss side after the first round of play, twice that many. Winpiglar took the opening set of the true double elimination final to win his eleventh, but Hughes came back to chalk up his sixth and capture the event title. The $1,000-added, bar table US Open Qualifier tournament drew 44 entrants to Q-Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA.
With three wins behind him, Hughes moved into the winners' side semifinals to take on Ray Reyna. Jesse Figeroa, in the meantime, squared off against Cary Dunn. Figeroa sent Dunn west 9-7, as Hughes moved into the hot seat match against him with a 7-3 win over Reyna. Hughes chalked up his fifth win, 7-3 over Figeroa, and sat in the hot seat, waiting for Winpiglar to complete his 10th on the loss side.
It was Reyna who ran into the streaking Winpiglar, who'd already chalked up seven, including a 7-1 victory over Romy Malonzo, and a 7-4 win against Rob Leeper. Dunn drew Darrell Neselrod, who'd defeated Jose Hernandez 9-3 and Chris Futrell 9-8 to reach him. Winpiglar downed Reyna 7-4 and was joined in the quarterfinal match by Dunn, who'd eliminated Neselrod 9-7.
With eight down and two to go, Winpiglar defeated Dunn in the quarterfinals 7-3, and completed his loss-side journey with a 7-6 win over Figeroa in the semifinals. He then took the opening set of the double elimination final against Hughes 7-3. Hughes ended Winpiglar's run with a second set, 7-5 win that secured the event title.
Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Q-Master Billiards' owner Barry Behrmann and his staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. The Great Southern Billiard Tour will return to Q-Master Billiards in July, and will also host a bar table/US Open qualifier the weekend of the start of the US Open, which will be open to all players, including the pros.
