 Ladies division winner Ellen Yu |
The tour returned to First Break Café in Sterling, VA for stop #5 of the 2007 season on May 5/6th. This was a $1500 added event made possible by room owner/player Anthony Luong and the growing list of tour sponsors. A strong field of 58 players came out to compete including Mike Davis, Larry Nevel, Jerry Slivka, Shaun Wilkie and Matt Clatterbuck.
Tough action began right away as Matt Clatterbuck matched up with Shaun Wilkie in the first round. Clatterbuck came away with a 9-5 win only to face Mike Davis. Clatterbuck watched his 6-0 lead vanish to 6-6 but held on to win 9-8. Another high interest early match saw an injured Brandon Shuff limp his way round the table defeating Larry Nevel 9-7. Saturday was a tough day for Davis, Nevel and Slivka as they all failed to make it to Sunday. Clatterbuck and Shuff were joined in the final 8 winner side by southern gentleman Cary Dunn, young sharpshooter Chris Futrell, veteran Don Steele, pool-turned-poker player Pooky Rasmeloungon, Brian Deska and long time tour sponsor Tommy Kay.
The story continues bright and early on Sunday at 8 am as Brandon Shuff stopped by the emergency room to get fitted with a full leg brace. Tommy Kay overcame Deska's huge break to win 9-8. Shuff shuffled his way around Futrell also by a 9-8 score. Clatterbuck and Rasmeloungon had easier wins 9-5 and 9-3 over Dunn and Steele. Clatterbuck followed up with a 9-7 win over Shuff while Rasmeloungon cruised 9-2. The winner side final match went to Clatterbuck by a score of 9-6.
In the elimination bracket, Wilkie won 7 matches before running into the slow-moving, straight-shooting Shuff falling 7-3. Shuff followed that up with wins over Jeff Abernathy 7-2 and Rasmeloungon 7-3. The winner side final single race to 11 between Shuff and Clatterbuck started out with Clatterbuck taking advantage of a struggling Shuff. Shuff fought back to 7-8 but ultimately it was Clatterbuck with an 11-8 score for his first Tiger 9-Ball Tour win. 1st was worth $1000 with $670 for 2nd.
14 ladies competed in the Sunday Women's division. Current points' leader My-Hanh Lac was the player to watch with several challengers looking to defeat her. Lac defeated Asia Cycak 7-3 to reach the hot seat match. Ellen Yu fought her way through the upper half of the bracket with 7-5 wins over Ceci Strain, Kathleen Lawless and Cheryl Squire. The match between Lac and Yu stayed close with Lac winning 7-5. In the elimination bracket, Cycak sent Gwen Dickert into the 4th spot before falling to a determined Yu 5-3. The single set final race to 9 was close with Yu maintaining a small lead early on and winning 9-7. Yu earned $300 with Lac taking home $200.
Click here for open division payouts.
Click here for ladies division payouts.
