Shannon Daulton, Brian White, Josh Newman, and Han Choi (owner of World Cup Billiards)
Brian White went undefeated on the Great Southern Billiard Tour stop on the weekend of July 24-25, stopping a strong bid from the one-loss side by teenager Josh Newman to do it. The $1,500-added event, sponsored by Nick Varner Cues and Cases, drew 57 entrants to World Cup Billiards in Greenville, SC.
From among the winners' side final four, White defeated David King 11-6 (double hill) to get into the hot seat match against Jerry Cairnes. Cairnes had defeated Aaron Mejia 7-5, just after Mejia had sent Newman west 7-2. White got into the hot seat with a commanding 11-2 win over Cairnes and watched as Newman worked his way back to a finals showdown.
Newman opened his one-loss side, five-match return to that showdown with two 9-5 wins over Justin Price and Billy Thorpe, which set him up to face King. Jordan Grubb, in the meantime, got by John Thompson 9-3 and Matt Mancini 9-6 to face Mejia. A Mejia/Newman rematch in the quarterfinals was avoided when Grubb dropped Mejia into the tie for fifth place 9-3. Newman dropped King into that tie by the same score and squared off against Grubb. Newman advanced to the semifinals with a 9-7 win over Grubb and then shut Cairnes out in the semifinals.
Newman needed to take two sets to secure the event win, and fresh off an impressive shutout win in the semifinals, his chances looked good. White, though, couldn't be stopped. He made a second set unnecessary, taking the first one 11-5 and completing his undefeated weekend on the GSBT.
