David Trest took two out of three, none more important than a third, double hill ‘rubber' match, over Danny Smith to win The Great Southern Billiard Tour stop on the weekend of December 4-5. The $1,500-added event drew 31 entrants to Classic Billiards in Conyers, GA.
Trest got into the hot seat following victories over Greg Haigin, 5-4 among the winners' side final four, and a 9-5 win over Smith in their first of three. Smith had just sent David Walters west 10-6.
Walters moved over to the one-loss side to be met by Cliff Joyner, who'd defeated Jeff Jordan 10-6 and J.R. Rossman 10-5. Haigin picked up Jeff Jordan's older brother Randy, who'd gotten by Denny Singletary 9-6, and Jesse Middlebrook 9-3. Joyner and Jordan advanced to the quarterfinals; Joyner with a 10-4 victory over Walters, and Jordan 9-5 over Haigin. Joyner and Jordan locked up in a double hill match, that eventually advanced Joyner against Smith in the semifinals.
Smith prevailed 10-9 in those semifinals and got his second chance against Trest. He took the opening set 10-7 to even their two-match score at one apiece. They battled to double hill in the second set, before Trest dropped the 9-ball that decided it.