Bryant and Gutierrez share win at Fast Eddie’s season finale

It was shaping up as a final match of the season between Fast Eddie's 2009 Player of the Year, David Gutierrez, and the player who'd finished third in the point standings, Charlie Bryant.  Gutierrez worked his way back through five matches on the one-loss side to face Bryant in those finals, but the match didn't happen. The two decided not to play the match and to split the $1,800 in first and second place prize money, while crediting Bryant with the win. The $1,000-added season finale of the Fast Eddie's 9-Ball Tour drew 61 entrants to Fast Eddie's in San Antonio, TX on the weekend of December 5-6.

The anticipation level for the final match that didn't happen was keen, because Gutierrez and Bryant had met in the third round of play, among the winners' side final eight. Bryant prevailed in a hill-hill struggle and started Gutierrez on the one-loss side, five-match campaign that eventually gave him a second chance at Bryant. Joining Bryant among the winners' side final four were Ismael Ramirez, Martin Salinas and Danny Almaraz. Bryant moved into the hot seat match with a 9-7 win over Ramirez, as Almaraz squeaked by Salinas 9-8. Bryant gained the hot seat, which proved to be his final match of the event, with a 9-5 win over Almaraz.

Gutierrez, in the meantime, was on his way back. He got by Bill Fuller and Frank Ferrer, both 7-5 to pick up Ramirez. He was joined by Eric Aicenena, who drew Salinas after a 7-2 win over Yoko Joe and a 7-5 victory over James Davis, Sr. Two 7-5 matches - Gutierrez over Ramirez and Aicenena over Salinas – put Gutierrez into the quarterfinals, where he defeated Aicenena 7-4.  He defeated Almaraz in the semifinals by the same score before, with Bryant, calling it a night.

Gutierrez finished Fast Eddie's season as the tour's Player of the Year, having won four events, placed second in four more and ended up in fourth place once. Second in total points was Sylver Ochoa, who finished the season finale event in the four-way tie for ninth place. Bryant finished the season in fourth place.

A $350-added Ladies event that drew 15 entrants on Sunday, concluded with a true double elimination final victory by Melinda Bailey, who defeated Julia Rapp 7-4 and 5-1 to take home the first place prize. The two met earlier, when Rapp had sent Bailey to the semifinals with a 7-5 victory that had left her in the hot seat.  Bailey defeated Jennifer Kraber to get a second chance at Rapp. Kraber had defeated Ashley Nandrasy in the quarterfinal matchup. Tour director Lewis Jones offered a special note of thanks to James and Sandra Marnett, who upon discovering that the tour might have to drop the ladies event, stepped in to sponsor that portion of the proceedings.