Tacoma, WA - Everyone may have stuffed themselves with turkey on Thanksgiving, but they were apparently hungry for pool as an astounding 96 players showed up to compete at City Lights Billiards for the Pechauer Tour's season kick-off Saturday morning.
Andrea Saenz-Maes and Ray Orr stepped up to offer much needed help and made it possible for the tournament to start on time. Matches spread across the eleven Gold Crowns and ran like clockwork until midnight! Top players ended up clumped together here and there with some surprise early exits by IPT's Mike Zimmerman and Linda Carter, as well as Washington's top one pocket player John Doherty, and Dan Louie, another one of the region's most feared competitors.
Molly Oliver, the top female player in the event sent one guy after another on his way until she was stopped in her tracks just shy of the money rounds by Ed Hobbs. On The Wire, promoters of the tour, put together a $50 top woman bonus, as it is a tradition for the City Lights stop.
The feature match in Sunday's first round on the winner's side will definitely be Rich "The Hat" Geiler against Glenn Atwell. Geiler knocked off last season's second place point's leader Tinsley Johnson after coming back from behind. Tinsley Johnson of Modesto, CA, works a seasonal position and says he would rather get out and travel for an event than sit at home - he says it's all about becoming a better player! He should be an interesting player to follow on Sunday through the loser's bracket, as he often seems to thrive on his momentum when he finds himself in the loser's bracket.
Likewise, Canadian's Mike "The Kid" Vidas and road partner Brady Gollan are weaving their ways through the backside. A total of 24 return Sunday at 10am so stay tuned to AZBilliards for a complete report at the conclusion of the tournament Sunday.
Next weekend the Pechauer Tour stops in Tigard, OR at Break Time Billiards for a $2000 added event. Call On The Wire at 503-674-8300 if you would like any infomation about that event or any other upcoming tournaments.
