Earthquake wins Planet Pool Opener

Keith 'The Earthquake' McCready

The Planet Pool Tour got their new season started with a record breaking field of 117 players in the open division and 30 players in the ladies division. Both fields were the most ever for a Planet Pool Tour event.

The number of players was no worry for The Earthquake, Keith McCready, as he went undefeated through the field and took the hot-seat with a 9-7 win over Richard Keefe. McCready actually trailed the match 7-4, but came back to win the last 5 games and the set.

Keefe, who was having the best tournament of his Planet Pool Tour career, was not done yet. He went to the one-loss side and defeated Jerry Slivka to set up a rematch with McCready in the finals.

Keefe may have been having his best tourney yet, but McCready was not about to let first place slip away as he cruised to another 9-7 victory in the finals.

McCready collected $1500 for first, while Keefe pocketed $850 for second. Slivka and Mike Davis filled out the top four spots.

The ladies division started out the new season with more of the same story that has become very familiar on the Planet Pool Tour. Sueyen Rhee went undefeated to win the hot seat with a 7-4 win over Darlene Lewis. Rhee then went on to win the event with a 7-3 victory over her opponent from the tour finale last year, Gwen Dickert.

Rhee collected $450 for first, while Dickert settled for $300 for second. Lewis and Ellen Yu filled out the top four spots.

The Planet Pool Tour will be at First Break Café in Sterling, VA for their next event on February 21st - 22nd.