Phil Johnson and Chris Schuck met twice during the January 20 stop on the Western New York Tour; once in the hot seat and again, in the finals. Johnson won both matches to finish undefeated. The event drew a short field of 13 entrants to Camelot Billiards in Rochester, NY.
Half of the event's final 14 matches went double hill, including Schuck's victory over Terry Buhlman, among the winners' side final four. Johnson and tour director Nick Brucato met in the other winners' side semifinal. Johnson downed Brucato 7-5 and then, in the battle for the hot seat, defeated Schuck the first time 5-3.
Buhlman moved west, where he met up with Rich Fontinez, who'd defeated Brett Fenstermacker and Joe Pentelunas, both double hill. Brucato drew John Perdy, who'd gotten by Sean Meyer 5-3, and Sunny Kemp, double hill. Buhlman and Brucato got right back in gear, defeating Fontinez and Perdy, in the final two double hill matches among the final 12 players.
Buhlman was apparently tired of the double hill routine, and gave up only two in his quarterfinal victory over Brucato. Schuck took down Buhlman 5-3 in the semifinals, and was defeated by the same score in the only set necessary in the finals against Johnson.
