February 2&3, 2002

Pat Murray Tournament Director, Karen Corr runner up, Mike Zuglan winner, Flaco Rodriguez 3rd place. Snookers owners Steve and Regina Goulding

If you had been at Snookers Billiards Cafe `this past weekend, you would have witnessed at the least, a world class event, at best, one of the greatest tournaments in a very long time. Mike Zuglan's Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour was in Providence Rhode Island for the thirteenth Ocean State 9-Ball Championship and he brought with him his game and a field that rivaled any major event anywhere. Players like Immonen, Corr, SanSoucci, LaPena, Hopkins, Kelly, Sambajon, Liciotti and many more to vie for $8600 purse. Steve and Regina Goulding and their staff showed us why they are one of the most popular rooms in the Northeast and the 70 players put on a tournament that gave the crowd a show that was second to none.

Matches that if you walked away at any score before the last nine was pocketed, you could not predict the winner. Sets like Flaco Rodriguez against George SanSoucci. Flaco leading 8-1 when Ginky caught fire and made it 8-8 only to scratch on the last break and Rodriguez running out to win. Mika Immonen met up with Karen Corr in a match of the two top players in the world. Mika jumped out to a 6-1 lead playing great pool. Corr got out of her chair and started playing unbelievable shots and safeties that had you walked away you would have missed a comeback victory by Karen 9-7. Maine's Tiffany Nelson out shot out shot all her opponents to go undefeated Saturday along with Corr, Zuglan, Saez, Rodriguez, Oliviera, Tavernier and Souza. Hopkins, Lynch, LaPena, Kelly, Herman, Immonen, Clowery and Lisciotti rounded out the one loss side.

Super Bowl Sunday started out as "Super 9-Ball Sunday" and the fans were going to get an eyeful of great play. Zuglan and Corr for the 5th time this year met up and when Mike had a 6-1 lead. You would have thought it was all over, that is you might have, but not Karen. She came all the way back and once again we had, "Corr and Zuglan hill-hill." When Corr broke nothing fell and Mile got out for the win. Zuglan now in the "Hot Seat" could only sit and wait while the one loss side got nuts with good pool. Julie Kelly beat George SanSoucci for the first time to send him home finishing 13 thru 16th. Al LaPena sent Immonen packing while Robbie Saez battled Tiffany Nelson to hill-hill before winning. Nelson then got sent home by Allen Hopkins who then got knocked out by LaPena. Rodriguez played Corr for the loser's side title and Karen Corr played a perfect set of 9-ball. In the first 8 games Karen did not miss a ball and at 8-0 Corr, Rodriguez did not have one offensive shot to this point. In game nine Karen broke and for the first time did not make a ball and the table was wide open. Flaco got out of his chair, ran out the rack, broke made a ball but had to push. Corr played safe, Flaco missed the hit and it was all over and Karen was in the finals against Zuglan. For the title, Karen jumped out to a 6-3 lead. Zuglan then seemed to get it in high gear and won a game. Corr responded winning another game making it 7-4. Mike then ran two racks and at 7-6 Zuglan missed a two ball bank. Corr played safe leaving Mike a few inches off the top rail dead straight on the two a table length away. Zuglan in "Dead Punch" jacked up on the rail and drilled the two into the far corner drawing the cue all the way back up the table perfect on the three ball. Zuglan won the set 9-7 and the crowd roared for almost five minutes. This was Michael's unprecedented fifth Ocean State title.

An incredible tournament to say the least and on this day when our New England Patriots won their first World Championship, the air at Snooker's was electric. Enough cannot be said about the Goulding's their great staff and the people of Providence. This was pure pleasure to be a part of. If ever in Rhode Island's capitol city, make Snookers a place to be. Next week we are at the Boston Billiard club in Danbury, CT

Final Standings:
1. $1800  Mike Zuglan
2.  $1300  Karen Corr
3.  $950  Flaco Rodriguez
4.  $700  Joe Korsiak
5/  $ 525  Robb Saez
6  Al Lapena
7/  $ 400  Steve Tavernier
8   Allen Hopkins
9/  $ 300  Tiffany Nelson
   Larry Lisciotti
   Dom Souza
12   Nelson Oliviera
13/  $ 200  Jarrod Clowery
   Mika Immonen
   Julie Kelly
16   Marty Herman
By: Pat Murray