Shannon Daulton, Ray McGinn, Guy Faulk and Brent Hudgins (owner at Shore Thing Billiards)
Ray McGinn has been on and off the Great Southern Billiard Tour, dating as far back as 2009, when he finished second behind Larry Faulk at a tour stop in Jacksonville, NC. On the weekend of April 4-5, he broke through to chalk up his first victory on the tour, and once again, had to face a 'Faulk' in the finals; this time Guy Faulk, who won three on the loss side to challenge him. The $700-added event drew 31 entrants to Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC.
McGinn advanced to a winners' side semifinal against Mike Haas, as Faulk faced Micky Hucks. McGinn got into the hot seat match 5-3 over Haas and faced Hucks, who'd sent Faulk to the loss side 6-1. McGinn grabbed the hot seat in a double hill fight and waited on Faulk's return.
On the loss side, Faulk ran into Gatlin Askins, who'd defeated B.J. Hucks 9-5 and Jamie Ford 9-3. Haas drew Matt Bulfin, who'd gotten by Bo Miller 9-2 and eliminated Phillip Britt 9-4 (Britt, by the way, was present, when McGinn fell to Larry Faulk in the GSBT final, five years ago. Britt, in fact, had been sent to the loss side by McGinn in a winners' side semifinal).
Player handicaps came into play in the battles for advancement to the quarterfinals, with both lower handicaps (Haas and Faulk) moving on. With Bulfin and Askins racing to 9 games, Haas defeated Bulfin 4-7, while Faulk downed Askins 3-5. Faulk took it two steps further, downing Haas in those quarterfinals 3-3 and then, Hucks, in the semifinals 3-4.
McGinn put a stop to Faulk's run, although not before Faulk's handicap had forced a deciding seventh game. McGinn took the only set necessary 5-2 to claim his first GSBT title.
