Ming Ng fought through a field of twenty-two, tough, female competitors, escaping Natalie Rocha in the second set of the true, double elimination final, to claim the first stop on the 2020 Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour.  

 

On January 4th, 2020, sponsors Cyclop Pool Balls, Poison by Predator Cues, APA of North Harris County, Alamo Billiards, Outsville Billiards, and the Tour’s newest sponsor, Team Straight Pool Eye, facilitated a successful event for the Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour, paying out $940 in prize money, for the one-day, $500 added, women’s 9-ball event. The tournament was held at the legendary Slick Willies Family Pool Hall, located at 5913 Westheimer, in Houston’s upscale, Galleria area. The Gulf Coast Tour would like to thank Slick Willies’ Director of Operations, David Kimmey, for signing on to another season of events for women pool players. “We are proud to be back at Slick Willies for a second year, and thank them for their continued support” said Kim Newsome, Gulf Coast Tour Founder and Director. Slick Willies will host four events in Houston, and one in San Antonio, during the 2020 season. The next event will be held at Diamond Sports Bar and Billiards in Port Arthur, Texas, on February 8th-9th. 

 

Ming “The Empress” Ng made her way to the winners’ side final four with wins over Brittany Kromer, 7-3, and Michelle Yim, 7-4, while Teresa “Princess of Pool” Garland defeated Sandra Melo, 7-2, and Kim Reiner, 7-5. Ellen Robinson bested newcomer, Louisiana Le, 7-6, and Verda Jones, 7-1, while Natalie Rocha ousted first-timer, Brenda Gunter, 7-1, Carmel Luttrell, 7-2, and Courtney Peters, 7-5. On the one-loss side, Sherry Hildebrand ended Sandra Melo, 5-3, but was eliminated in turn by Vada Selsor. Michelle Abernathy overcame Ginger Abadilla, 5-3, while Kromer handled Gunter, 5-2. Luttrell passed Matty Sword, 5-2, Stacy Berry dismissed Terri Resendez, 5-3, and Le denied Kim Woodworth, 5-1. Rounding out the final four on the one-loss side, Selsor defended against Hildebrand, but fell to Peters, 5-2, while Kromer took out Abernathy, 5-1, and Jones, 5-3. Berry sent home Luttrell, 5-2, but lost to Reiner, 5-4, while D’Andrea McQuirter derailed Le, 5-4, only to be taken out by Yim, 5-4. It was down to the final eight players, and the action was heating up on the east side. Vying for the hot seat, Rocha dealt Robinson her first blow, while Ng shut-out Garland, pitting two of the finest, Houston players, in a hot seat showdown. Rocha was determined to change the narrative, but Ng resisted, and forged ahead to win the hot seat, 7-4. On the west side, Peters plowed through Kromer, 5-1, but was stopped by Garland, 5-4, as Reiner finished off Abernathy, 5-4, but fell to Robinson, 5-3. Final four tournament action witnessed Robinson conquer Garland, 5-2, but failing to advance further, losing to Rocha, 5-2. Rocha earned a rematch with Ng, along with a shot at redemption, and the title. In the first set, Rocha came on strong, defeating the current Tour champion, 7-5. In overtime, Ng shifted gears, defeating Rocha, 5-2, to win the Gulf Coast Tour, 2020 Season Opener.

 

Natalie Rocha went undefeated to win the most recent Gulf Coast Women's Regional Billiards Tour 9-ball event, held September 30th, 2017, at Bogies Billiards in Houston, Texas. In the final, Rocha faced off with recent Houston Open Champion, Robyn Petrosino, overcoming the up-and-comer, 7-4. 

 

Twenty-seven women attended the ninth stop of the 2017 season, and the tour would like to thank all those who came out to support the event, along with Bogies Billiards, and tour sponsors, Cyclop Pool Balls Facebook.com/CyclopPoolBalls, Ozone Billiards OzoneBilliards.com, APA of North Harris County Facebook.com/APANorthHarrisCounty, Outsville Billiards, and Jimmy Jenkins Realty.

 

Following a short players’ meeting and draw, action commenced around noon, and Natalie Rocha came out firing. On her way to the final four winners’ side, she ousted Monica DeTuncq, 7-2, Gail “Thunder” Roles, 7-5, and Jillian Nickerson, 7-2. Gail “Virginia Slim” Eaton was on her way, securing wins over Natalie Mans, 7-5, Christy Stanton, 7-0, and Toni Esteves, 7-3. Robyn Petrosino bested Joyce Davis, 7-4, Brittany Williams, 7-2, and Loretta Lindgren, 7-4, while Kim “Texas Heat” Pierce took care of Terry Petrosino, 7-6, and Mona Nesh, 7-1. One loss side action kicked off, with Lindgren eliminating T. Petrosino, 5-1, and Esteves sliding by Roles, 5-3. After suffering a second round hit, Ellen Robinson won five matches, including wins over DeTuncq, 5-4, Yvonne Asher, 5-1, and Nesh, 5-1. Nickerson overcame Tiffany Mundie, 5-1, to line out the final four players remaining on the one loss side. Back on the east side, Eaton overcame R. Petrosino, 7-5, and Rocha sent Pierce west, 7-5. Rocha made quick work of R. Petrosino, claiming the hot seat, 7-1. In the west side stretch, Esteves overpowered Lindgren, 5-1, and Pierce, 5-4, while Robinson overcame Nickerson, 5-2, and Eaton, 5-4. Robinson won her fifth match, squeaking by Esteves, 5-4, but fell to R. Petrosino, 5-3. Once again, R. Petrosino would tee it up with Rocha, in search of a different outcome. Rocha was in rhythm, and R. Petrosino kept pace, until Rocha pulled ahead to end the set, 7-4. Congratulations to Natalie Rocha on the second win of her career, on the Gulf Coast Tour.

 

A special “congratulations” to Toni Esteves and Ellen Robinson, who achieved their highest finishes to date, on the Gulf Coast Tour! The tour would also like to welcome its five, new players who became WPBA Members and official Gulf Coast Tour Players, at this event; Christy Stanton, Brenda Gunter, Jillian Nickerson, Jackie Forster, and Nicole Melendez. 

 

The next Gulf Coast Tour Event 9-Ball Event will be held October 14th, 2017, at Bogies West, 9638 Jones Road, in Houston, Texas.  For more information about the WPBA sanctioned, Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour, visit GulfCoastWomensTour.com. 

The Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour is sanctioned by the Women’s Professional Billiard Association (WPBA), and is open to amateur, female players of all ages. The top 32 WPBA Exempt Professionals are not eligible to participate. The WPBA is the governing body of women’s professional billiards in the U.S. The WPBA Regional Tour System is the grass roots effort that feeds the WPBA Pro Billiards Tour. As a WPBA Regional Tour Member, players gain access to WPBA Pro Event Qualifiers and earn valuable WPBA Regional Tour Points which count toward earning invitations to the annual WPBA Regional Tour Championship and WPBA Pro Events. Whether it’s simply to challenge yourself, improve your game, or become a recognized professional, support and become a part of the longest-running, women’s sports organization in the U.S.; the WPBA.

If you are interested in starting a WPBA Regional Tour in your area, or participating on a WPBA Regional Tour, please contact the WPBA Office at 1.855.FOR.WPBA or visit www.WPBA.com.