Michigan Players Tour Hosts Inaugural Event and Gears Up for Stellar Season

The Michigan Players Tour was formed in an effort to assist talented pool players in Michigan and those from other states that are visiting/playing in Michigan.  The tour is open to players of all levels, men, women and young people.  We encourage everyone to join in the competition.  If the main event is too expensive, come and join the mini tournaments that will have a much more reasonable entry fee.  Most entry fees for the mini events will be $30 while the main events will be around $100.  All tournaments are a true double elimination format so the person in the chair must be beaten twice.

The MPT charges no fees to the room to hold events and MPT makes no money from the entries of any event.  We offer our time and energy in an effort to promote the sport and to assist talented players to earn a better living for being the best at what they do.

Some events will be held with trick shot exhibitions going on and others will offer challenge tables against top Michigan players but with either event, we hope to draw in many spectators so players be on your best behavior.

Beginning the first quarter of 2009, the MPT plans on taping the semi finals and finals to air on local public television channels.   We believe this will help us to gain additional interest in the tour and sport and hopefully, gain additional sponsorship allowing us to increase added money to events.

If you are interested in learning more about the tour, please visit our temporary website at www.freewebs.com/miplayerstour/ or email us at miplayerstour@aol.com

The success of this tour is in the players hands!

Our very first event was held in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Breakroom Bar and Grill.  The Breakroom offered up a great layout for tournaments with fourteen very nice Diamond bar tables. These were not your typical Diamond bar tables folks, they play like nine foot tables with very deep pockets and if you don't hit the pocket, you will hang the ball up!  It tested a few players throughout the weekend event.

The mini event drew forty-eight players from quite a few different states.  We had a very good showing from local APA and BCA members trying their skill against some top players.  Troy Meyers and Pat Brown, local APA players and Izaac Zube, a local C level player placed 9th-12th to earn their entry fees back.  Out of the strong field we drew for the mini event, this was quite a feat!

While the field in the main event wasn't what we had hoped for, it wasn't too far off what we expected for our first event.  A field of eighteen players came out to try to take home the GUARANTEED $1500 added $100.00 entry fee event.  We're confident the entries will continue to increase with each event.

The next event will be held in Holland, Michigan on August 22nd, 23rd and 24th at Chalkys Q Stick Café.   AZBilliards will have all tournament information posted under their tournaments section so be sure to check it out for our upcoming events.

Tournament results and payouts from our July event at Breakroom Bar and Grill are as follows:

Results (mini tournament):
1st Jason Kirkwood $480+$350
2nd Houston Rodriguez $240+$190
3rd John Fields $100+$95
4th Adam Smith $80+$75
5th/6th Mark Oz/Bart Goode $50+$45
7th/8th Shaun Buckholtz/Beko $40
9th-12th Izaac Zube/Troy Myers/Neil Dryfhout/Pat Brown $30.00

Results (main event):
1st Richie Richeson $1300+$750 (Richie came from the one-loss side defeating Shane Winters two sets to win the event)
2nd Shane Winters $800+$450
3rd Adam Smith $470+$280
4th Beko $350+$100
5th/6th John Fields/Jason Kirkwood $100

On a special note, Mike Massey took time out of his trick shot exhibition to play in the main event to show support for the tour.  He placed 9-12th and was a true sportsman and a pleasure to have attend.