Houston’s Ming “The Empress” Ng made her way through an elite field of 32 players to capture her second Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour 9-ball event of the 2018 season. Ng overcame Tour newcomer Mille Almaraz in the final, who also booked her best finish to date. Almaraz joined the Tour in 2017, and in only her second event, competed in her first hot seat match.
On August 4th-5th, 2018, the Gulf Coast Tour held its 5th stop of the year at Skinny Bob’s Billiards in Round Rock, Texas. Room owners John and Sue Cielo, along with tour sponsors Cyclop Pool Balls www.facebook.com/CyclopPoolBalls, APA of North Harris County www.facebook.com/apanorthharriscounty, www.VaporKnightsUSA.com, and www.OutsvilleBilliards.com facilitated another successful event for the women of the Gulf Coast Tour. This “Texas Open Warm-Up” was a $700 added, 9-ball event on open bar tables, which paid out a generous $1,340. The accommodations featured a non-smoking, private playing area with eight (8) new Diamond bar tables, and “Zeus” Cyclop Pool Balls. “I’d like to thank John and Sue Cielo for their never-ending hospitality and generosity, spanning nine years. We greatly appreciate their continued support, and already look forward to 2019,” says Gulf Coast Tour and Poison Lone Star Tour Director, Kim Newsome.
Following a short players’ meeting on Saturday morning, action kicked off around noon, and Ming “The Empress” Ng began her trek to the winners’ circle. She booked wins over Yvonne Asher, 7-3, Margaret Fox, 7-0, and Gail “Thunder” Roles, while Tam Trinh overcame Kim “Texas Heat” Pierce, 7-4, Maria Requejo, 7-1, and Stacie Putnam, 7-3. Mille Almaraz bested Celeste Espinosa, 7-3, Ellen Robinson, 7-5, and Sissy “Voo Doo”, Lozano, 7-0, while Gail “Virginia Slim” Eaton tagged Robyn Petrosino, 7-4, Jennifer Yo, 7-4, and Kris Wilburn, to complete the winners’ side, final four. On the one loss side, after taking a second round hit by Ng, newcomer Fox plowed through the one loss side eliminating Espinosa, 5-2, Brittany Kromer, 5-1, and Wilburn, 5-1. First-timer, Tina Soto, took out newbie Debbie Hammond, 5-3, Requejo, 5-2, and R. Petrosino, 5-4, but was snubbed by Lozano, 5-1. Also new to the Gulf Coast scene, Shar Dyer stayed alive on the one loss side with wins over Cardona, 5-2, Yo, and Lopez, 5-4, but was stopped by Roles, 5-4. Angleton’s Brandi Booth made a splash, defeating newbie Karyna Hahn, 5-2, and Lois Morgado, but fell to Robinson, 5-4. In turn, Robinson was eliminated by newcomer Stacie Putnam, 5-4, rounding out the final eight. On day two, final four action kicked off on each side of the bracket. On the east side, Eaton defeated Almaraz, 7-4, and Ng ousted Trinh, 7-6. Ng dealt Eaton her first blow, in the hot seat match, 7-1. On the west side, Fox was on fire, dusting off Lozano, 5-1, and Trinh, 5-2, while Putnam passed Roles, 5-1, only to be stopped by Almaraz, 5-4. Almaraz went on to eliminate Fox, 5-1, and Eaton, 5-2, meeting Ng for her first-ever, Gulf Coast Tour final. Almaraz was on fire the first set, extinguishing Ng, 7-3. In the second set, Ng regrouped and took charge, besting Almaraz, 5-1, to capture her second Tour victory of 2018.
Congratulations to Yvonne Asher and Kimberly Brown, who split first and second place in the second chance event! Margaret Fox and Stacie Putnam also reached milestones, playing in their very first event, Fox finishing 4th, and Putnam, 5th-6th.
The Gulf Coast Tour would like to thank all the ladies who ventured out to Skinny Bob’s to compete in this very special event, and “welcome” its newest members: Margaret Fox, Stacie Putnam, Brandi Booth, Tina Soto, Karyna Hahn, Debbie Hammond, Kimberly Brown, Nina Dolman, Shar Dyer, Liana Butler, and returning members Diana Cardona, Tam Trinh, Lois Morgado, and Jennifer Yo. Gulf Coast Committee members who assisted in running a seamless event included Celeste Espinosa (Office Administrator), Gail Roles (Social Media), D’Andrea McQuirter, Ming Ng, Kim Pierce, and Toni Esteves. Finally, the Tour would like to thank Mille Almaraz for taking some great photographs throughout the weekend, and sharing them with players, friends, and fans, via social media.
Our next event will be our First Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Event, October 13th-14th, at Bogies West, 9638 Jones Road, Houston, Texas.
The Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour is open to all female, amateur players of all ages and skill levels. For more information about the Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour, visit GulfCoastWomensTour.com. Follow us on Facebook @gulfcoasttour1 and Twitter @gulfcoasttour.
