Two Steves squared off in the hot seat match during the March 8 stop on the Tiger Southeast Open 9-Ball Tour. The two Steves might have met again in the finals, had not one of the Steves been traveling with the guy he faced in the semifinals and forfeited the win to his traveling companion, Dan Heidrich. The winning Steve – Stevie Moore – defeated Heidrich to claim the event title, while the other Steve – Steve Hughes – went home thrilled at having battled Stevie Moore to double hill in the hot seat match, in what was reportedly his first professional tournament of any kind. The $500-added event drew 23 entrants to Badfish Billiards in Matthews, NC.

 

The two Steves met in their hot seat contest, once Moore had sent Ed Yero to the losers' bracket 7-3 and Hughes had sent Ron Park over 7-4. Hughes and Moore battled to the aforementioned double hill before Moore finally prevailed and waited on what turned out to be Heidrich.

 

On the loss side, Heidrich, after defeating Jeremy Faassan and Robin Hill, both 7-2, met up with Park. Ed Yero drew Matt Reed, who'd gotten by Bill Horn 7-4 and survived a double hill match against Mark Patterson. Heidrich and Yero moved on to the quarterfinals, once Heidrich had eliminated Park, double hill and Yero downed Reed 7-3. Heidrich took the quarterfinal match 7-4 over Yero, and then became the recipient of Hughes' forfeit in the semifinals. 

 

Moore completed his undefeated run with a 9-2 win over Heidrich in the finals. This Tiger Southeast Open 9-Ball title was the first 2014 win for Moore, who was last seen in the tour's winners' circle last December.

 

Tour Director Tommy Kennedy thanked room owner Morey Little and his staff, as well as signature sponsor Tiger Products,  J. Pechauer Custom Cues, Simonis Cloth, Mueller Recreational Products, Chris Nitti Cues and Andy Gilbert Cues.

Mike McPherson survived two straight double hill matches to get into the hot seat of the Jun 30-July 1 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, and came within a game of facing and winning a third in the finals. In those finals, he stopped an eight-match, loss-side winning streak by Scott Roberts, to capture the event title. The $1,500-added event drew 43 entrants to Lucky Shot Billiards in Albemarle, NC.

McPherson battled Josh Heeter (both B players) to double hill among the winners’ side final four before prevailing to advance to the hot seat match. His opponent was Mark Patterson, a B player, who’d sent Dan Heidrich (AA) to the loss side 7-10. In another straight race to seven, McPherson prevailed double hill to gain the hot seat.

With three notches on his loss-side belt, Roberts, in the meantime, defeated Christi Steele and Kris Chavez, both 7-3, to reach Heidrich. Heeter drew Shawn Padgett, who’d gotten by Britt Carson 7-1 and survived a double hill struggle versus Mike Mauney, who’d been responsible for sending Roberts west in the event’s second round.

It was Padgett and Roberts advancing to the quarterfinals; Padgett 7-4 over Heeter, and Roberts 7-9 against Heidrich. It was all B players from that point, straight up races to seven. Roberts downed Padgett 7-3 and then gave up only two racks in a semifinal victory over Patterson. 

Roberts battled McPherson to within a game of double hill, and the potential for a second set. McPherson, though, closed it out at 7-5 to take home top honors.

Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Lucky Shot Billiards’ owner Steve Compton and his staff as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. Next stop on the GSBT is set for July 14-15 at Michael’s in Fairfield, OH. The event will feature $1000-added events in both 8-ball and 9-ball, as well as a mini-banks tournament, scheduled to begin at 8 o’clock on Friday night, July 13.