The Tiger Pool Tour 2007 season kicked off February 17/18th at Hagerstown Billiards & Café in Hagerstown, MD. A huge field of 113 Open division players signed up Saturday morning including most of the top 20 players from the 2006 points list. The new room owners Roger & Tammy Munson welcomed the tour with open arms and worked tirelessly with their staff to accommodate the full house. This was a $2500 added event made possible by the Munsons and the tour sponsors.
The player's meeting began promptly at noon Saturday and included a well-received prize-giving ceremony for the top finishers of 2006. Josh Brothers claimed the top spot for 2006 over 253 total players winning a trophy, a custom Parrot cue and $500 cash. Jerry Slivka came in a very close 2nd place earning a Tiger cue and $250 cash. Shaun Wilkie took home an X-Breaker and $150 cash for 3rd while Larry Kressel received a Tiger cue for a fine 4th place finish. A gift bag with several Tiger products was given to the top 16 players. Prizes for last year's 8 ball division were also presented. Former Tiger Tour director Nick Prinsloo took top honors and a custom Parrot cue with $100 cash. Wayne Bean earned an X-shaft for his 2nd place finish.
Saturday afternoon was packed with excitement. A high profile match between tour founder Danny Green and professional player Mike Davis went in favor of the exuberant Green. Another match of high interest pitted 2006 #1 Josh Brothers against #3 Shaun Wilkie with Brothers advancing 7-5. Matt Krah and Shawn Putnam advanced easily into Sunday with Krah taking out Brothers 7-2. Local Hagerstown sensation, 15 year old Richard Barney, thrilled the hometown crowd overcoming Jerry Slivka 7-6. By late Saturday evening, the field had been reduced to just 32 players.
On Sunday, Putnam won the top half of the bracket with a comfortable 9-3 score over Barney. Danny Mulhollen III emerged from the bottom half with a strong 9-6 win over BJ Ussery. The hot seat match was competitive with Putnam taking the 9-7 decision. The elimination bracket was full of talent. Matt Krah won a few matches including sending Barney to the sidelines. BJ Ussery put an end to the run placing Krah into 4th place. Ussery bowed out in the 3rd spot to Mulhollen 7-2. The single set final race to 11 started out fairly event before Putnam stretched his lead into an 11-5 victory. 1st was worth $1400 with $950 for 2nd.
25 ladies showed up Sunday for the Women's event. The festivities began with more prizes as Pamela Treadway claimed top honors for her second consecutive year receiving a trophy, $300 cash and a custom Parrot cue. WPBA pro Sueyen Rhee took the 2nd spot and an X-Breaker with $150 cash. 3rd place finisher My-Hanh Lac took home a Tiger cue. The 8 ball division winner Kathleen Lawless won a custom Parrot cue with $100 cash while Tina Meraglio earned an X-shaft. More Tiger Products gift bags went to the top players.
Pamela Treadway cruised into the hot seat match with little fanfare. The other half of the bracket was not so clear cut and it was newcomer Zinnie Panju emerging to face Treadway. The match turned out to be close with Treadway taking a 7-5 decision. My-Hanh Lac put together 3 quality wins in the elimination bracket including placing Rhee into 4th place and Panju into the 3rd spot. The single set final race to 9 started out with Treadway making no mistakes to go up 7-1. Lac made the most of her next opportunity running the next 4 racks. The score was 8-8 when Lac faced a long straight 8 ball shot with the 9 at the other end of the table. A beautiful precision draw stroke made the 9 a foregone conclusion giving Lac the victory. 1st was worth $500 with $325 for 2nd.
A Sunday “second chance” barbox event was won by Josh Brothers from the 1-loss side. Brothers defeated Joe Healy 7-4 in the final.
