Tommy Kennedy and Anthony Meglino have faced each other numerous times in the Sunshine State and elsewhere. They came together again, on the weekend of February 10-11, at Stop #2 on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour; twice, as it turned out. Once, in a winners’ side semifinal and a second time, in the finals, when they opted out of a second match and split the event’s top two prizes. Kennedy, as the hot seat occupant at the time, became the official undefeated winner of the $750-added 10-ball event which drew 33 entrants to Uncle Waldo’s Billiards in Daytona Beach, FL.
Kennedy and Meglino were awarded opening round byes and navigated their way through three opponents each to face each other in a winners’ side semifinal. Kennedy downed Brian McBride, David Grossman, and Shaun Lovett to get there. Meglino got by Dale Campbell, Billy Sullivan, and Justin McNulty. Kennedy gave up 10 racks over those three matches. Meglino gave up only four. David Singleton, in the meantime, squared off against Asia Cy in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Kennedy and Meglino locked up in something of a predictable double hill battle, which proved to be their only battle. Kennedy won it and was joined in the hot seat match by Singleton, who’d sent Cy to the loss side 7-3. Kennedy claimed the hot seat 7-4 over Singleton.
On the loss side, Meglino picked up Pierre Palmieri, who’d defeated Billy Sullivan 5-2 and Les Duffy 5-3 to reach him. Cy drew Shaun Lovett, who’d survived a double hill match against Obbie Cirillo and eliminated Justin McNulty 5-2.
Meglino and Cy advanced to the quarterfinals with identical 5-3 victories over Palmieri and Lovett. In that quarterfinal match, Meglino gave up a only a single rack to Cy, who picked up a little extra cash ($25) as the top-finishing female in the event. Meglino and Singleton battled to double hill in the semifinals, before Meglino finished it, along with, to all intents and purposes, the event itself. The undefeated Kennedy claimed the event title, as he and Meglino split the top two prizes.
Tour directors Janene Phillips and Bobby Garza thanked the staff and ownership at Waldo’s Billiards for their “awesome hospitality,” along with sponsors Play the Game Clothing, Kamui, Insidepool.tv, Jacksonville Roofing USA, AZ Billiards and all of the participating players. The next stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour (Stop #3), scheduled for March 10-11, will be hosted by Brewlands in Tampa, FL.
