Bucky Souvanthong, who spent much of his pool career in the Northeast, continues to make noise in the South; most recently with a win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, on its October 26-27 stop in Georgia. Souvanthong was challenged in the finals by David Styers, who took the opening set of a true double elimination final, before Souvanthong took command in the second set to win it. The $1,000-added event drew 38 entrants to Chalk It Up Billiards in LaGrange, GA.

 

Souvanthong and Styers played a total of three matches, the first of which was for control of the hot seat. Souvanthong had sent Billy Tyler west 11-6, as Styers was defeating Jimmy Gibson 7-2. Souvanthong dominated the hot seat match 11-2, and waited on Styers' return.

 

On the loss side, Jesse Middlebrooks was making some noise that would carry him all the way to the semifinals. Having been defeated by Souvanthong among the winners' side final eight (11-7), Middlebrooks downed Daryl Gables and Matt Bulfin, both 10-4, to draw Gibson. Tyler drew Shane Masters, who'd won two straight double hill matches against Eric Duncan and Tim Orange, to reach him.

 

Middlebrooks advanced to the quarterfinals with a 10-4 win over Gibson. He was met by Tyler, who'd ended Masters' weekend 7-3. Middlebrooks eliminated Tyler in a double hill match, and then had his loss-side streak snapped, double hill, by Styers in the semifinals. 

 

Styers, racing to 7, defeated Souvanthong, racing to 11, 7-8 in the opening set of the true double elimination final. Souvanthong came back strongly in the second set, allowing Styers only three racks in claiming the event title.

 

Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked the ownership and staff at Chalk It Up Billiards, as well as sponsors Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Delta 13 Racks, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Tiger Products, Ozone Billiards and Lomax Custom Cues. The next stop on the GSBT is scheduled for November 2-3 at the Marietta Billiard Club in Marietta, GA.

Working under a new handicap system that has players racing to their ranking number – in 8-ball, 3-9; in 9-ball, 3-11 – the Great Southern Billiard Tour stopped off at Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach on Saturday, August 3 for an 8-ball tournament. Greg Dix, who won the last Shore Thing Billiards 8-ball tournament, back in May, almost made it two, winning seven on the loss side to challenge hot seat occupant, Jason Heyward. Heyward, though, came back from a defeat in the opening set of the true double elimination final to win the second set and claim the event title. The $700-added Amateur 8-ball event drew 25 entrants.

 

As Dix went to work on the loss side (following a 6-2 defeat at the hands of Mike Johnson in the second round), Heyward advanced among the winners' side final four for a contest against Daniel Adams. David Styers, in the meantime, met up with Trent Talbert. Heyward sent Adams packing 9-4 (Adams racing to 6), as Styers, in a straight-up race to 6, downed Talbert 6-2. Heyward got into the hot seat with a 9-4 win over Styers, and waited for Dix to complete his loss-side run.

 

With two victories already on the board, Dix gave up only a single rack, in total, to Robert Worsham (0) and Guy Faulk, and picked up Adams. Talbert drew Phillip Britt, who'd gotten by Collin Hall and Dale Holt, both 8-4, although with Holt racing to five, that was a double hill match. Dix and Talbert downed Adams and Britt 8-2 and squared off against each other in the quarterfinals.

 

Dix took the quarterfinal match against Talbert 8-2, as well, and gave up one more rack in the semifinals, winning it 8-3 over Styers. In the opening set of the true double elimination final, Dix capitalized on a few Heyward errors and chalked up yet another 8-2 win (through his final six matches, Dix won 82% of the games he played; 48-10). Dix encountered some problems on his break in the second set, tending to allow Heyward to step to the table with a benevolent spread of balls. Heyward took full advantage, winning the second set 9-4, and the event title.

 

Shannon and Marge thanked Brent Hudgins and his staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Nick Varner Cues & Cases, Delta 13 Racks, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Tiger Products, and Lomax Custom Cues. Next up for the GSBT is a stop at Johnny Archer's place – The Marietta Billiard Club in Marietta, GA – for a $1,000-added Amateur 9-ball tournament, set for August 17-18.

As the June 16-17 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour wound down to its final 12 players, only three were ranked as either A, or double AA. None were among the winners’ side final four, and none would advance as far as the quarterfinals. It became a Battle of the “B’s, won by Nikki Keeney, who came from the loss side and spoiled Mike Slaughter‘s bid for an undefeated weekend. The $1,500-added, amateur event drew 32 entrants to Stroker’s Billiards in Sumter, SC.

Keeney and Slaughter met first among the winners’ side final four. Slaughter sent Keeney west 7-2, and turned to face David Styers, who’d defeated Shawn Padgett 7-3. Slaughter got into hot seat with a 7-3 victory over Styers, and awaited his rematch against Keeney.

On the loss side, Keeney drew James “Peanut” Council, who’d defeated Brent Henderson 7-4, and one of the two remaining A players, Jordan Grubb 7-8 (Grubb had eliminated an A player, B.J. Hucks, in his previous match). Padgett drew the other remaining A player, Josh Roberts, who’d defeated Chris Weaver 11-1, and Shane Wilson 11-4. Keeney eliminated Council 7-4, Padgett dispatched the final A player, Roberts, 7-7, and the rest of the night was all B’s, all the time.

Keeney survived a double hill, quarterfinal match against Padgett, and defeated Styers in the semifinals 7-2. He opened up the true double elimination, rematch final against Slaughter with a 7-3 victory, and capped the event victory with a strong 7-1 finish in the second set.

Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Stroker’s owners Brent and Nicole Henderson for hosting the tournament, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. The next stop on the GSBT is scheduled for June 30-July 1 at Lucky Shot Billiards in Albemarle, NC.