Mike Davis
Last weekend (January 8), Mike Davis got into the hot seat on the Tiger Southeast Open 9-Ball Tour and was defeated in the finals by Tommy Kennedy. This week, on January 14, Davis took a different route, to a different, preferable outcome. It was Davis this time who was sent to the semifinals, from whence he returned to defeat hot seat occupant, Justin Hall, in the finals. The $1,000-added event drew 22 entrants to Hammerheads in Holiday, FL.
Davis and Kennedy met in this one, as well; among the winners' side final four. Davis sent Kennedy west 9-6 and advanced to the hot seat match against Hall, who'd defeated James Roberts 9-3. Hall got into the hot seat on the heels of a decisive 9-2 victory over Davis in their first of two.
Kennedy moved over to face Jason Richko, who'd gotten by Mark Walthen 7-3 and shut out Bill Delisle to reach him. Roberts picked up Louis Altes, who'd defeated Jose Del Rio 7-4 and Art Seamen 7-3. Kennedy and Altes moved into the quarterfinals with identical 7-3 victories over Richko and Roberts. Altes then prevented a Kennedy/Davis rematch with a 7-3 defeat of Kennedy in those quarterfinals.
Davis allowed Altes only a single rack in a semifinal victory that gave him a second shot at Hall. Hall took an early, three-game lead, 5-2, before Davis settled in to win eight in a row to reach the hill first in the extended, race-to-11 finals. Davis scratched on the subsequent break, opening the door to a three-game run by Hall. An unforced error by Hall in the 19th rack, though, gave Davis the chance he needed. He finished the rack to capture the event title.
