The Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour paid its first, though according to tour director Herman Parker, hopefully not its last visit to Mr. Cues II in Atlanta, GA on the weekend of February 11-12. The $1,000-added event drew a strong field of 64 entrants ("9s, 10s, and 11s everywhere," said Parker) that came from near and far to play. Georgia was represented, of course, as was Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, the Philippines, and Illinois. It was, in fact, Peoria, IL's veteran competitor Bobby McGrath, who went undefeated to claim the event title.
By the time the event had whittled down to its final 12 players, McGrath was the only '10' left standing. He got into the hot seat match by defeating B.R. Tatum 10-4 in a winners' side semifinal. McGrath was joined by Esteban Hernandez (a 9), who'd just eliminated the senior representative of the Davis family, Duane Davis 9-4 (his two sons - Sean and Wes - were still alive and well on the loss side). In their first of two, McGrath claimed the hot seat 10-6 over Hernandez and waited in the hot seat for his return from the semifinals.
Over on the loss side, Tatum ran into Sean Davis, who'd been sent over by McGrath, and was in the midst of a six-match winning streak that would carry him to the semifinals. He'd most recently eliminated Ryan Williamson 9-3, and Jeff Crawford 9-4. Dad Duane Davis drew Justin Duncan, who'd gotten by Keith Yates, double hill, and Derek Fowler 5-1 (Fowler had eliminated Wes Davis in the previous round). Father and son were each a single match away from facing each other. Sean Davis did his part, defeating Tatum 9-2, but Dad was shut out by Duncan.
Sean moved on to defeat Duncan 9-4 in the quarterfinals, but had his loss-side streak ended by Hernandez, who, after defeating Dad in a winners' side semifinal, downed his son, Sean 9-7 in the event semifinals. McGrath, though, gave up two less racks in the finals than he'd given up battling for the hot seat, to complete his undefeated run and claim the event title.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked Mr.Cues II owner, Rick Sweet, and his staff for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, GoPlayPool.com, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. The next stop on the Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend (February 18-19), will be the $1,000-added NC State 9-Ball Championships, whose current title holder is Mike Davis. The event will be hosted by Brass Tap in Raleigh, NC.
