When you walk in the door to Bristol Billiards in Bristol CT, you just know that this is an action room. The gold crowns, the lights, Simonis cloth, 3 tight boxes, a billiard table and 17 tables with 4,5" pockets. That is what Steve Mahoney and his manager George Texiera want you to know, that is how they set it up. A players room. So when Mike Zuglan brought his Joss tour there this past week end along with 62 players it had to be a great tournament and it was.
Players from all over as far away as New Zealand, Philippines, Ireland and Spain along with the usual great players making up the best tour in the country. Right from the beginning Saturday till the finals on Sunday, great matches, hill hill, strong comebacks and just good pool. Mike Zuglan and Robb Saez battling hill hill with Zugan getting the win this time. Frankie Hernandez having Karen Corr 8-3 when Karen got Frankie on 3 fouls and played her heart out to get to 8-7 before Hernandez got the chance to get out and did. All day was like this and surviving undefeated for Sundays action was Carlos Vieira, Joe Tucker, Ryan McCreesh, Al Lapena, Frank Hernandez, George Texiera, Edgar Acaba and Mike Zuglan. On the one loss side we had cashing for his first time on the Joss Tour was David Gold vs Mike Davis, Cisco Diaz vs Rich Ross, Nelson Oliviera vs Chris Biddle and Ted Garrihan vs Robb Saez.
On Sunday it took Edgar Acaba to stop Mike Zuglan for the first time in his last 11 matches from last week end to now. Acaba played great for the two days and was not going to be denied as he sat in the hot seat. Playing through the one loss side Zuglan was again in dead stroke. With over $6900 in the prize fund and two of the nicest trophies this writer has ever seen at a tournament, he beat everyone else to meet up with Acaba for revenge. But the Filipino was not going to be denied and beat Zuglan 9-5. This was Edgar's first Joss win and I am sure not his last.
This was a great tournament and we can't say enough to Steve Mahoney, his wife Kat and their staff. We look forward to next year when the Joss tour will join Billy Zhuta in memorializing his son and adding a lot more money. Our thanks to Mike Webb, Webb Custom Cues for being there and setting up along with being a sponsor, Capone Cues, Giuseppe case, Simonis cloth and Joss Cues Ltd.
