The Team DMIRO Nationwide 10-ball Tour is on the road, and their 3rd of their inaugural season took place at Diamond Billiards in Midlothian, Virginia on September 19. Although this event featured a field of only 17 players, many were Tiger Tour players, such as pros Shaun Wilkie and Manny Chau, as well as Sean Sporleder, Chip Klein, David Hunt, and 17-year-old Chris Bruner. Added to the lineup was also Diamond Billiards owner, Thomas Dorsey.
With the format for the DMIRO Tour events splitting pros to a separate bracket, the amateur players battled it out in a preliminary double-elimination bracket, race to nine, before the pros were added to the mix.
In the amateur rounds, Dima Kavhan and Chris Bruner went undefeated to advance to the final bracket. Sean Sporleder and David Hunt advanced from the one-loss side after winner's bracket losses to Kavhan and Bruner, respectively.
In the final bracket, Manny Chau defeated David Hunt and Chris Bruner, while Shaun Wilkie defeated Sean Sporleder and Dima Kavhan to meet in the hot seat. The event's favorites fought a close battle that Manny edged ahead in to win 9-6.
On the one-loss side, after a first-round loss to Chris Bruner, Chip Klein knocked out David Hunt, then avenged his loss to Chris, beating him 9-3. Chip then met with Dima Kavhan in the quarterfinal, to win dominantly, 9-4. Chip Klein would not have as much luck in the semi-final, as he fell to Shaun Wilkie, with a final score of 9-4.
Undefeated Manny Chau was waiting for Shaun Wilkie in the hot seat, where they would face off in one final race to 11. Shaun went up 5-1, and Chau made a strong come back to make it 9-8 Chau, Shaun took a break and came back and defeted Manny Chau 11-9.
Team DMIRO 3 Vs The World 0. Team DMIRO Associate Pros have so far won each event. Allen Hopkins, Dennis Hatch, and now Shaun Wilkie... Who will win next week in Roanoke Va, at Guys & Dolls? We would like to thank our sponsors, Tiger Products, McDermott Cues, OB Cues, Delta 13 Racks, Az Billiards, NYC Grind, Maxim Billiards and others.
