Shawn Putnam
Al Mason sent Shawn Putnam to the loss side from among the winners' side final four, during the September 21-22 stop on the Fast Eddie's 9-Ball Tour. Putnam would come back from a three-match visit west to double dip Mason in the finals, capturing the $500-added event title that had drawn 17 entrants to Fast Eddie's Round Rock (Austin), TX location.
Mason took his first of three against Putnam 9-7, which set him up to face Chelo Velazquez in the hot seat match. Velazquez had sent Alex Cardenas over 9-6. Mason got into the hot seat with a 9-5 win over Velazquez, which would prove to be his final win of the night.
Putnam's three-match, loss-side march to the finals began with Tito Fernandez, who'd gotten by Alex Cardenas' twin brother, Mark Cardenas 7-5 and T.J. Klein 7-4. Alex Cardenas, likely thinking of a match against his brother, instead drew Kevin Guimond, who'd defeated Kim Bierce 7-4, and survived a double hill match against James Davis, Sr.
Putnam advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-5 win over Fernandez, and was met by Guimond, who'd ended the second Cardenas' brother's day 7-4. Putnam took both the quarterfinal match against Guimond, and the semifinal against Velasquez 7-5.
Though Mason would force a deciding game in both matches of the true double elimination final, Putnam would win them both; taking the first 9-8, and the second 7-6, to capture the event title.
