This past weekend (June 14), the five-year-old Flamingo Tour became the brand new Tiger Florida Tour, adopting its schedule and holding its first tour stop under the new name. The debut stop on the Tiger Florida Tour ended precisely the way that the final stop on the Flamingo Tour ended, with April Wallen and Crystal McCormick facing each other in a finals battle, eventually won by Wallen, by the identical score that had closed proceedings on the Flamingo Tour. The debut stop on the new Tiger Florida Tour drew 26 entrants to Brown's Billiards in Holly Hill, FL.
The early double elimination stages of the tournament led to eight players - four on the winners' side and four on the losers' side - being re-drawn to compete in a single elimination format. April Wallen, Christie Cloke, along with Kellys Kavanaugh and Coyle were the final four remaining on the winners' side of the bracket. Crystal McCormick, Sharon Hubbard, Jennifer Page and Roe Guarnero were the last four standing on the losers' side.
The re-draw set Wallen against Hubbard, Cloke versus Page, Kavanaugh against Guarnero and Coyle versus McCormick. Wallen and Page defeated Hubbard and Cloke by the same 7-2 score. McCormick won her quarterfinal match 7-5, while Kavanaugh, the odds-on favorite in her match versus Guarnero, allowed a cue ball to get away from her while shooting at the 9-ball in what was the deciding game in a double hill match. The cue ball found a pocket, giving Guarnero ball-in-hand, and the 7-6 win that advanced her to the semifinals.
Wallen advanced to her second final in a row on the tour with a double hill win over Page, as McCormick advanced to meet her for a second time with a 7-4 over Guarnero. Wallen completed her undefeated run and second tour victory over McCormick 7-5.
Tour director Mimi McAndrews thanked title sponsor Tiger Cues, as well as co-room owners Dean Dyreson and John Clow and their staff for their hospitality. She also thanked co-sponsors Ozone Billiards and Boynton Billiards. The next stop on the Tiger Florida Tour, scheduled for July 12, will be hosted by the Corner Pocket in Largo, FL.
“We are sad to say good-bye to our beloved Flamingo," said McAndrews in a press release announcing the tour's new title sponsor. "However, we believe that our new name and title sponsor will take the awareness of our tour and all of our sponsors to the next level. The Regional Tour will continue without interruption, and we look forward to having more open tournaments as well.”
