The twenty-third stop of the 2005/2006 McDermott All American Tour (produced by the American CueSports Alliance - ACS) featured a $1,000-added purse and thirty-nine players hosted by owner Jon Brown at Big Dog Billiards in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday, April 29. The event featured double-elimination 8-ball on bar boxes, and Dustin Gunia of Omaha, Nebraska took the long scenic trip to the finals, losing his very first match and not losing thereafter. In the hot-seat match, Tony Wilson (E. Moline, IL) - rated a '4' on a regional handicap system used - outlasted Dwaine Bowman (E. Moline, IL), rated a '5', 4-3. In the loser's bracket finals, Gunia [5] eliminated Bowman 5-3. In the loser's bracket quarterfinals earlier, Wilson had ousted Jesse Bowman [6] (E. Moline, IL) 4-3, while Gunia finished Lee Norton [4] (Omaha, NE) 5-3. The loser's bracket semi-finals featured Gunia eclipsing Chad Vilmont [6] (Clinton, IA] 5-3. The title match was all Duston Gunia, as he double-dipped Tony Wilson 5-2, 5-2 for the championship.
By virtue of being the highest-finishing ACS member, Dustin Gunia qualified for a free entry into the 2006 ACS National 8-Ball Championships - courtesy of the ACS. The ACS wishes to thank sponsors McDermott Handcrafted Cues, Silver Cup Chalk, PJ's Billiard Supply Co. and Samm's Side Pocket Productions for their support in donating "Value-In-Kind" product for this and all stops on the McDermott All American Tour. Sponsorship opportunities for the 2006/2007 All American Tour are available by contacting the ACS.
Saturday, May 6, will feature more action on the McDermott All American Tour with a stop at Leisure Time in Sterling, IL, hosting a $500 added 8-ball event (for onsite entry details contact Jim LaFavre at 815/625-8279). Information and schedules for the 2005/2006 McDermott All American Tour are available at www.americancuesports.org. The ACS is a non-profit, national organization dedicated to heightening the interest and awareness of cue sports through the support and sanctioning of organized competition throughout the United States and North America.
Final Results:
1st Dustin Gunia (Omaha, NE) $405 +$265 side pot + free ACS Nationals entry
2nd Tony Wilson (E. Moline, IL) $300 +$185 side pot
3rd Dwaine Bowman (E. Moline, IL) $200 +$120 side pot
4th Chad Vilmont (Clinton, IA) $140 +$85 side pot
5th/6th Lee Norton (Omaha, NE) $100
Jesse Bowman (E. Moline, IL)
7th/8th Mike Bennett (Des Moines, IA) $70
Mike Athens (Des Moines, IA)
9th/12th Victor Granstaff (Des Moines, IA) $50
Scott Kitto (Cedar Rapids, IA)
Som Phet (Ames, IA)
Jamie Fenton (Des Moines, IA)
