Zimmer zooms through field at GSBT event in NC

Ben Zimmer, Shannon Daulton, Tony Coates (owner of Brass Tap), & Sam Monday

The GSBT hosted the Tarheel Amateur Classic at Brass Tap & Billiards in Raleigh, NC  the weekend of March 28-29, 2009. The 50 player field may have been short compared to the previous events, but it wasn't short of talent. Several top regional players turned out for the $2,000 added guaranteed a/b amateur 9-ball event including Danny Smith, Sam Monday, Mike Fuller, Ben Zimmer, and junior champ Jackson Jeffries.  
 
After a full day of play on Saturday, the tour brought back 8 players on the winners side and 8 players on the one-loss side.
 
Winners side:
 
Sam Monday vs Steve Page
Ben Zimmer vs Steve Murrill
 
One loss side:
Brad Shearer vs Tony Morrision
Mike Fuller vs Jackson Jeffries
Larry Faulk vs Danny Smith
Doug Jones vs Mike Basha
 
Sundays winners were Wilson over Dearing (9-7), Monday over Page (11-7), Zimmer over Murrill (11-5), and Kerekes over Williams (9-4).
 
On the one loss side, Shearer ended Morrision's hopes (7-9). Junior champ, Jackson Jeffires, ousted regional champion Mike Fuller by the same score. Smith ended Faulk's day (11-4), and Basha over Jones (7-6).
 
The winners side final four ended with Wilson taking the win over Monday (9-9), and Zimmer sending Kerekes to the losers bracket (11-8). This set up a hot seat match between Zach Wilson and Ben Zimmer. Zimmer won the match (11-7).
 
Meanwhile, Monday continued battling on the left side of the chart trying to find his way to the finals. After polishing off Shearer (11-3), Smith (11-7), and after getting his revenge against Wilson (11-6) he went after Zimmer in the finals.
 
In the true double elimination finals, it looked as though Zimmer was fairly comfortable with his game. With the score 3-0 in favor of Zimmer, Monday turned it on and took the first set convincingly by a score of (11-5). In the second set, both players played well running out on their break and chalking up games. After the smoke cleared, Zimmer emerged as the victor by a score of (11-8).
 
The GSBT would like to thank Tony Coates (owner), and Michelle Brown (manager), of Brass Tap & Billiards for hosting a great event this past weekend.