Nathan Rose took a major step toward making 2019 his best recorded earnings year ever by winning his second straight Sunshine State Predator Pro Am Tour stop on the weekend of January 2-3. In a month, he’s earned half of what he earned in all of his best earnings year to date, 2015. Rose went undefeated through a field of 64, on hand for the $1,500-added event, hosted by Brewlands Bar & Billiards in Tampa, FL.

 

Rose opened his undefeated run with a 7-4 victory over Eric Haggard, followed it with a 7-5 win over David Singleton, and then went on a run of four straight 7-2 wins that ended with him in the hot seat. He defeated Rollie Dixon and Ed Peterson to arrive at a winners’ side semifinal against Bill Bloom. Jason Richko, in the meantime, got by Rhyan Hunter, Kodi Allen, Brian Sudney and junior competitor, Trenton White (who’d come back to haunt Richko later) to arrive at the other winners’ side semifinal against Mitch Keiser.

 

Richko got into the hot seat match 7-5 over Keiser, as Rose was busy chalking up his third straight 7-2 win over Bloom. Rose won his fourth straight 7-2 match, over Richko, which left him in the hot seat, waiting on what turned out to be the return of Trenton White.

 

On the loss side, Bloom ran into White, who, following his defeat at the hands of Richko, had defeated Joseph Hughes 5-1 and Rollie Dixon 5-3. Keiser drew Kyle Bova, who was working on a four-match, loss-side winning streak that had most recently included wins over Ed Peterson 6-1 and Casey Spahr 6-3. White advanced to the quarterfinals 5-2 over Bloom and was met by Keiser, who’d survived a double hill battle against Bova.

 

White and Keiser locked up in a double hill quarterfinal, which eventually advanced White to a rematch versus Richko in the semifinals. White gave up only a single rack to Richko in those semifinals, advancing 5-1 to the finals against Rose.

 

Rose completed his undefeated run with a 9-5 victory over White, who, in addition to his 2nd place payout was awarded the ‘top-finishing junior’ title. Jeannie Seaver and Stephanie Mitchell finished in a tie for the top female finisher. 

 

Tour directors Janene Phillips and Bobby Garza thanked Larry Walthall and his Brewlands staff for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Predator Cues, Cyclop Balls, Diamond, Kamui, Central Florida USA Pool League, Stitch it to Me Embrodiery and AZBilliards. Streaming was by Cue Sports Studios. The next stop on the Sunshine State Predator Pro Am Tour, scheduled for March 9, will be hosted by Boulevard Billiards in Ocala, FL.

Ricardo Joel Rodriguez played seven matches, and went undefeated through all of them to capture the March 10-11 title on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour. Of those seven matches, three of them went double hill, including two, back to back in the second and third round of play. The third double hill win put Rodriguez in the hot seat. The $1,000-added event drew 60 entrants to Brewlands Bar & Billiards in Tampa, FL.

 

Following an almost-double hill win (7-5) in his opening round, Rodriguez went back to back (7-6) against Jack Cartlidge and Mike Burke. He got a bit of a break in the following round, giving up only a single rack to Michael Barr, which set him (Rodriguez) up in a winners’ side semifinal against Che Mvros. Dale Stanley and Robert Batson, in the meantime, squared off in the other winners’ side semifinal.

 

Rodriguez sent Mvros to the loss side 7-4, and in the hot seat match, faced Batson, who’d defeated Stanley 7-4. Rodriguez claimed the hot seat over Batson, in what would prove to be his last double hill match, and waited on the return of Stanley.

 

On the loss side, Stanley began his trek back to the finals against Casey Spahr, who’d been defeated in the event’s opening round and was in the midst of a seven-match, loss-side winning streak that was about to end. Spahr had survived one double hill match and won three straight 7-5 matches on the loss side, most recently against Michael Barr and Matt Menes. Mvros picked up Kyle Bova, who, after falling to Stanley, in a winners’ side quarterfinal, had given up only one rack through 15 games; shutting out Tom Roche, and giving up the one to Bobby Garza.

 

Stanley got by Spahr 7-3, and advanced to the quarterfinals. Mvros spoiled Bova’s hopes for a rematch against Stanley, with a double hill win that let him join Stanley in the quarterfinals. Stanley then downed Mvros 7-5 in those quarterfinals, and got a shot against Rodriguez in the hot seat with a 7-4 victory over Batson in the semifinals. Stanley’s victory in those semifinals raised his position in the tour standings to a single slot below Batson.

 

Rodriguez, though, will enter the tour standings for the first time. He defeated Stanley in the finals 9-7 to complete his undefeated run.

 

The top junior player, Trenton White, finished in the tie for 13th place.

 

Tour directors Janene Phillips and Bobby Garza gave a “big shout out” to Larry Wathal, owner of Brewlands and his staff for their hospitality, noting that “the large, smoke-free room with its 25 tables” was a great location, and they can’t wait to go back. They also thanked sponsors Play the Game Clothing Co., Kamui, Jacksonville Roofing USA, AZBilliards and Insidepool.TV.