Burlington, NC’s Michael Robertson appears to be a player that you want to catch early before he gets any ‘wind in his sails.’ He’s cashed nine times on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour spread out over six years and on the three occasions that he has claimed an event title, he’s gone undefeated. He won his first two last year, his best recorded earnings year, about two weeks apart in November and December and this past weekend (Dec. 17-18), chalked up his third, going (once again) undefeated to claim the tour’s 10th Annual Bar Box Championships. The $1,000-added event drew 58 entrants to Rock House in Gastonia, NC.
This most recent win was not without its challenges; a double hill battle for the hot seat and meeting an opponent who’d earned some momentum from a five-match, loss-side streak to meet him in the finals. Robertson advanced through the field to arrive at a winners’ side semifinal match against Stevie McClinton. Joshua Shultz, in the meantime, worked his way through the field to arrive at a winners’ side semifinal versus Dustin Barkley, who’d just defeated Robertson’s eventual finals opponent, Jon Jon Newman, in a winners’ side quarterfinal 6-3.
Robertson got into the hot seat match 7-5 over McClinton. Shultz downed Barkley 7-4 to join him. Shultz put up a double hill fight that almost derailed Robertson’s bid for a third undefeated tour victory, but Robertson held on to win.
Following his loss to Barkley, Newman opened his loss-side campaign with a shutout over Chris Clary, followed it with a double hill win over Jason Blackwell, and drew McClinton. Barkley picked up veteran Q City competitor Hank Powell, who’d defeated Chris Preacher and Brian Ervin, both 8-3, to reach him.
Newman advanced to the quarterfinals over McClinton 6-5 (McClinton racing to 7). Barkley earned a rematch against him with a double hill win over Powell. His momentum building, Newman defeated Barkley 6-4 in their quarterfinal rematch.
Newman gave up only a single rack to Shultz in the semifinals that followed and making a bid to prevent Robertson’s third tour win, advanced to the finals, needing to defeat him twice. Newman, racing to 6, got to within a game of forcing a deciding rack in the opening set, but Robertson edged out in front at the end to win the game, match and 10th Annual Bar Box Championships 7-4.
Tour director Herman Parker’s thanks were extended to 10 years’ worth of player names, locations and sponsors, beginning with title sponsor Viking Cues, the ownership and staff at Rock House, Breaktime Billiards of Winston-Salem, NC (and other venues, too numerous to mention), BarPoolTables.net, Dirty South Grind Apparel Co., Realty One Group Results, Diamond Brat, AZBilliards.com, Ridge Back Rails, and Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Division.
The Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour’s schedule is a ‘work in progress’ going into the holiday weekend. In addition to its normal array of handicapped events, the tour will also add a series of Open events to its 2023 schedule, dates for which, according to Parker, should be available within the next week to 10 days, either on the tour’s Facebook page or the calendar here on AZBilliards.
It’s been a good year for Billy Fowler, his best since he entered our database in 2004, when he won a stop on the old Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour. On Saturday, blending into early Sunday this past weekend (Sept. 17), Fowler was in the hot seat, waiting for Antonio Belton to complete a nine-match, loss-side winning streak on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour. Fowler went on to remain undefeated and claim his first 2022 title and seventh overall on the tour. The $250-added event brought 37 entrants to West End Billiards in Gastonia, NC.
With Belton already at work on the loss side of the bracket, having lost his opening match to Dustin Barkley, Fowler advanced to a winners’ side semifinal versus Kirk Hixon. Zach Martin, in the meantime, squared off against Matt Lucas.
Both matches to determine who’d play for the hot seat went double hill; Fowler over Hixon 10-5 (Hixon racing to 6) and Martin over Lucas 6-5. Fowler dominated the hot seat match 10-3, dispatching Martin to a semifinal versus Belton.
On the loss side, it was Lucas who drew Belton, six matches into his loss-side streak that had just eliminated Jonathan Ailstock and Katie Bischoff, both 5-3 (Bischoff had spoiled Belton’s opportunity for a rematch against Barkley by defeating him 5-3 in the previous round). Hixon picked up David Honeycutt, who’d defeated Trevor Stanley 6-3 and Matt Lowe, double hill, to reach him.
Hixon got back on the winning track with a 6-4 win over Honeycutt, while Belton handed Lucas his second straight loss with a double hill win. Belton then downed Hixon 5-2 in the quarterfinals.
With eight down and at most, three to go (he would have to defeat Fowler twice in a true double elimination final), Belton chalked up loss-side win #9, eliminating Martin 5-4 (Martin racing to 6).
Fowler apparently wanted no part in a drawn out final match (or two). He gave up only a single rack to Belton in the only set necessary to claim the event title.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked the ownership and staff at West End Billiards for their hospitality, along with title sponsor Viking Cues, Breaktime Billiards (Winston-Salem, NC), BarPoolTables.net, Dirty South Grind Apparel Co., Realty One Group Results, Diamond Brat, AZBilliards.com, Ridge Back Rails, and Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Division. The Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour will travel to New Bern, NC this coming weekend, Sept. 24-25, for a $250-added event at Mickey Milligan’s.
Chris Walsh and Daniel Gambill played two matches during the Saturday, February 4 stop on the Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour. Walsh took the first one to claim the hot seat and Gambill won the second in the first set of a true double elimination final. They opted out of a second set and split the top two prizes, leaving Walsh as the official winner. The event drew 45 entrants to Randolph's Billiards in Hickory, NC.
The first match followed a 9-3 victory by Gambill over Dustin Barkley, and a 7-2 win by Walsh over Rick Roper in the two winners' side semifinals. Walsh claimed the hot seat and his last match victory 7-3 over Gambill.
Barkley and Roper moved to the loss side and met up with Tim Monk and Brandon Canipe, respectively. Monk had downed Rocky Hawk 7-3 and Brian Capps 7-6 (Capps racing to 10) to draw Barkley. Canipe eliminated Jake Medlin 6-1 and Jeff Young 6-2 to draw Roper.
Barkley and Roper advanced to the quarterfinals; Barkley 6-1 over Monk, and Roper 7-5 over Canipe. Barkley gave up only a single rack to Roper in the quarterfinals that followed, and then had his short, loss-side streak ended 9-3 in a re-match against Gambill in the semifinals.
As noted at the outset, Gambill took the opening set of the finals 9-5 over Walsh. They left it at that, allowing to Walsh to claim the official event title, while the two split the first two cash prizes.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Randolph's Billiards, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, GoPlayPool.com, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. Parker also noted that through a combination of cash donations (approximately $800) and goods and services ($500) by local businesses, the tour was able to raise money to help long-time tour member and supporter, Josh Newman, in support of medical expenses for his mother, who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer.
The next stop on the Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for the weekend of February 11-12, will be a guaranteed $500-added event ($1,000-added with a full field of 48), hosted by Mister Cues II in Atlanta, GA.
