Compton and Gray share Southwest 10-Ball victory

Joey Gray, from the hot seat, and Chip Compton, who'd won six straight on the one-loss side to reach him,  opted out of playing a final match that would have decided the winner of the Southwest 10-Ball Tour stop on Saturday, October 2. The $1,000-added event drew 23 entrants to Hawley's Billiards in Dallas, TX.

From among the winners' side final four, Gray got into the hot seat with, first, a 9-6 win over Mark Whittington.  Once Richie Somner had sent Burt Kinnister west 9-3, Gray sent Somner to the semifinals 9-3 and waited for Compton to come back.

Compton, who'd been moved to the one-loss side in the opening round by Greg Sandifer 9-3, began his six-match march back to the finals with a 9-7 win over Larry Land. Wins over Gordy Vanderveer 9-5, and a double hill win over T.J. Davis then set him up to face Kinnister. Whittington met Louie Pacheco, who after being sent to the one-loss side by Somner from among the winners' side final eight, defeated Sandifer 9-3 and Chrispian Ng double hill. Compton and Pacheco met in the quarterfinals, following Compton's 9-4 win over Kinnister and Pacheco's victory over Whittington, double hill.

Compton dropped Pacheco into fourth place 9-7 and then finished his run with a 9-6 victory over Somner in the semifinals. Gray and Compton's decision not to play a final match led to a split of the $1,110 at stake for first and second place; $635 for first and $475 for second.