All four of Stevie Moore's final matches at a US Open qualifying event in Greensboro, NC, on Saturday, September 3, went double hill. Moore won three of them, including the decisive second set of a true double elimination final against Tony Morrison. The qualifying event drew the maximum 32-entrants to Gate City Billiards in Greensboro, NC.
Moore's first double-hill match, among the winners' side final four, was against odds-on favorite Larry Nevel. Morrison, in the meantime, squared off against Jack Craft. Moore sent Nevel west, while Morrison dispatched Craft to that side of the bracket 7-2. Moore and Morrison locked up in the first of their three double hill matches in the battle for the hot seat, which eventually sent Morrison to the semifinals.
Nevel moved over to take on Mike Fuller, who'd defeated Mike Preston and Bobby Strandburg, both 5-2, to reach him. Craft ran into Gate City Billiards' bartender, Scott Johnson, who, after being sent west by Moore, from among the winners' side final eight, went on to defeat Bradley Burton 5-2 and Glenn Russell 5-1. With a return to the finals clearly in his sights, Nevel shut Fuller out, and advanced to the quarterfinals versus Johnson, who'd survived a double hill match against Croft.
Johnson found himself locked up in a second straight double hill match in those quarterfinals, and pretty much surprised everyone by hanging on to end Nevel's bid for free entry to the US Open. Johnson's bid for that same prize ended in the semifinals, when Morrison downed him 5-2 for a second chance versus Moore.
Morrison hung on to survive a double hill match in the opening set of the true double elimination final, but it was Moore surviving their third straight double hill match to capture the event title. The cash prizes for first and second place were identical ($500), but Moore earned the US Open entry fee of $500, and was the recipient of a $470 Lucasi Hybrid Cue. In addition to his first place prize money, Johnson was also awarded a $420 Viking Cue.
Gate City Billiards' owner, Don Liebes, thanked Lucasi Hybrid and Viking Cues for their contributions to the first and second place winners, as well as Barry Behrmann and the US Open for their contribution of the qualifying slot.
