Brandon Shuff (File photo courtesy of Cue Sports International)
The Virginia State 2010 9-Ball Champion Brandon Shuff stopped a one-loss side challenge by Charlie “Hillbilly” Bryant to win Fast Eddie's Olhausen 9-Ball Tour stop on the weekend of Aug 7-8. The $500-added event drew 26 competitors to Fast Eddie's in Houston.
From among the winners' side final four, Shuff got into the hot seat match with a 9-7 win over Doug Young. Barry Strickland, in the meantime, sent Tommy Milburn west 9-6 (Milburn had previously sent Bryant over 9-5). Shuff and Strickland then fought to double hill, before Shuff sunk the 9-ball on the break to gain the hot seat.
Bryant's four-match trip back to the finals began with a marquee-matchup, double hill win over Sylver Ochoa and a 7-4 win over Viet Do, which set the Hillbilly up to face Young. Ernesto Bayaua, after victories over Moses Hererra, double hill, and Bill Kester 7-3, squared off against Milburn. Bayaua got by Milburn 7-5, as Bryant was dropping Young into the tie for fifth place 7-4. In the quarterfinals, which proved to be the final stop on Bryant's one-loss side journey, Bryant defeated Bayaua 7-5.
According to tour director Lewis Jones, a family emergency (‘not anything serious,' he said) forced Strickland to forfeit the event's semifinal match, which propelled the Hillbilly into the finals versus Shuff.
The two battled back and forth, one game at a time, to double hill, before Shuff prevailed to secure the win.
