 Chris McDaniel, Mark Haddad and Dave Gomez |
On Saturday January 26 the Colorado Cue Club welcomed 68 pool players from around the state for the third annual $1,000 added “New Year 9-Ball”. The list of notable players turning up for this event included Mark Haddad, Dave Gomez, Dave Gross, Sam Cordova, “ATM” Andy, Chuey Rivera, Laura Smith, Melissa Little, Megan Minerich, Ramona Biddle, Bonnie Plowman, Caela Henley-Huddleston and the “Always in the cash crew” from Colorado Springs including brothers Nick and Nate Smith.
The format every year is bar table nine-ball, race to 9, alternating breaks. With a $2700 purse (and 3 chocolate cakes) at stake the competition was bound to be fierce. The final two on the winner's side would pit Dave “The Ghost” Gomez against defending champ Chris McDaniel. Thanks to several scratches by Gomez, including two on the break, McDaniel would claim the hot seat sending Dave to the one-loss side to face the winner of Mark Haddad vs Dave Gross (both California transplants and terrific players). After losing to Bonnie Plowman in the third round, Haddad went on a tear through the loser's bracket and continued his winning ways by defeating Gross and Gomez to face McDaniel in the finals.
In the finals Haddad, needing to beat Chris twice, took an early 3-1 lead. After some disputes about the rack and trading off wins, the crowd saw this match all tied at 6 games a piece. From there it was McDaniel winning 3 straight games to take his third straight New Year 9-Ball title.
The Colorado Cue Club would like to thank everyone who came to this event, whether to play or just sweat the action. Please join us for our next $1000 added event, the “Pot O' Gold 8-Ball 3”, on Saturday April 5. Our previous champions were Robert Rodriguez and Sam Cordova. This years winner will receive free entry into our main event on May 3, the 2nd annual $1500 added “Colorado 9-Ball Championship”. Last year's winner was the one and only Shane Van Boening.
For questions and details call us @ (303)450-POOL.
