Michael Robertson
It was already his best recorded earnings year. By a lot. It’s also been something of a return-to-the-tables year for one Michael Robertson, whose last recorded cash finish on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, prior to three this year, was five years ago, when he finished 9th in the 2016 Tour Championships. If he’s of a mind to, he’ll get another crack at the Tour Championships in a couple of weeks. This past weekend (Nov. 20-21), Robertson went undefeated to claim his first recorded event title at a tour stop that drew 60 entrants to Gate City Billiards Club in Greensboro, NC.
Robertson and Travis Guerra battled twice in this one; Guerra, looking for his first tour win since his best recorded earnings year, 2017. Robertson had downed Don Lilly 6-3 in one of the winners’ side semifinals, as Guerra was busy sending Buzzy Gonzalez over 6-5 (Gonzalez racing to 7). They fought to double hill in their first meeting and it was Robertson who claimed the hot seat.
On the loss side, Lilly and Gonzalez walked right into their second straight loss. Lilly had drawn Justin Knuckles, who’d shut out Jon Kochanski, and then, eliminated both Matt Hall and Don Lilly, double hill. Gonzalez picked up Jason Rogers, who, defeated by Robertson in the second winners’ side round 6-5 (Rogers racing to 8), was working on an eight-match, loss-side winning streak that would carry him to the semifinals. He eliminated John Walker 8-2 and in the first money round, Ricky Carcamo 8-3, before ending Gonzalez’ weekend, double hill.
Rogers took one more step forward, downing Knuckles 8-3 in the quarterfinals. Guerra put a stop to that loss-side run in the semifinals 6-6 (Rogers again racing to 8). Robertson completed his undefeated, first win on the tour with a 6-4 victory in the finals.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Gate City Billiards for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, BarPoolTables.net, Dirty South Grind Apparel Co., Realty One Group Results, Diamond Brat, AZBilliards.com, and Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Division. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for the weekend of Dec. 4-5, will be the 9th Annual, $1,000-added Tour Championships, which will be hosted by Janet Atwell in her room, Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.
