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Herring goes undefeated through field of 89 to win his first stop on DFW 9-Ball Tour

(l to r): Juan Parra, Jr., Daniel Herring & Tony Top

 

Daniel Herring has been at the Texas tables for about a decade now, chalking up his first recorded appearance on a payout list at a stop on the Fast Eddie’s Tour in January, 2008. He started appearing on the payout lists of Melinda Bailey’s Omega Tour a few years after that and in February, 2015, he broke through to win a stop on that tour; his first, and until this weekend (Sept. 8-9), his only recorded victory on a tour. At stop #9 on the DFW 9-Ball Tour (which grew out of the Omega Tour), he went undefeated through a field of 89 entrants, on-hand for the $1,500-added event, hosted by Clicks in Arlington, TX.
 
Herring started strong, giving up only two racks over his first 19 games, and seven over his next 23 (four of those to his eventual finals’ opponent, Juan Parra) to arrive at what proved to be his first double hill challenge in a winners’ side semifinal against Angelo Inness. Tony Top, in the meantime, who played an extra match in a preliminary round to get the field to a 32-match opening round, gave up 12 racks in the 52 games that it took him to reach the other winners’ side semifinal against Philip Palmer.
 
Herring survived the double hill battle over Inness and advanced to the hot seat match and a battle against Top, who’d sent Palmer to the loss side 8-5. Herring claimed the hot seat 8-6, and waited on the return of Parra.
 
On the loss side, Palmer picked up Parra, who, following his defeat at the hands of Herring, had eliminated Tommy Ulbik 7-3 and the tour’s #2-ranked competitor, CJ Wiley, double hill (in the absence at this event of the tour’s #1-ranked player, Chase Rudder, Wiley’s finish in the 7/8 slot moved him into the #1 ranking spot). Inness had the misfortune of running into Tim Larson, who, following a defeat in the event’s opening round (to Josh Keller) was in the midst of a nine-match, loss-side winning streak that would take him as far as the quarterfinals.
 
Parra and Palmer locked up in a double hill fight that eventually sent Parra to the quarterfinals. Larson chalked up what proved to be his last victory 8-4 over Inness and joined him. Parra ended Larson’s loss-side run 7-4 in those quarterfinals, and then, double hill, stopped Top’s short-lived, loss-side run in the semifinals.
 
Herring completed his undefeated run with an 8-4 victory over Parra in the finals to claim the event title.
 
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Click’s for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Predator Cues, Ft. Worth Billiard Superstore, JB Custom Cue Cases, Solutions, Granite Guyz, BCAPL, CSI, Dallas 8-Ball, Accu-Rack and Fargo Rate. The next stop on the DFW 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for Oct. 20-21, will be a $1,500-added event, hosted by Billiard Den in Richardson, TX.
 

Guernsey double dips Sulsar to win season and tour finale of Omega Billiard Tour

(l to r): Paul Guernsey, Tony Sulsar & Mike Rountree

On the weekend of December 15-16, at a $5,400-added event, which drew 75 entrants to Rusty’s Billiards in Arlington, TX, Paul Guernsey ended a three-match trip on the loss side to defeat  Tony Sulsar twice in a double elimination final, and capture the event title. In another interpretation of ‘double elimination final,’ it was not only the last event of the Omega Billiard Tour’s sixth season, it was also the final event of the Omega Billiard Tour itself.
 
Taking a cue from tour director Melinda Bailey about this occasion, we’ll defer comments on the end of the tour to the end of this report and highlight the players and the event that closed out its 2017 season.
 
For a while, at the start of Paul Guernsey’s pool career (or at least as much of it as was recorded here at AZBilliards), the only event at which he regularly earned any money was the annual Texas Open. The first time he appeared in our database, he finished second behind David Gutierrez in the 27th Annual Texas Open in 2000. It was the only entry for him that year. The following year, the only entry was his 4th place finish in the 28th Annual Texas Open. Two years later, he finished in the tie for 13th place at the 30th Annual Texas Open, and the following year, he finished 4th again. All single entries in his site profile. Just over a decade later, he started showing up on the payout lists of the Omega Billiard Tour; twice in 2015, once in 2016, and this year, four times, including another second-place finish, behind Justin Whitehead at an Omega stop in April (he competed in five of the tour’s 12 events in 2017).
 
This past weekend, Guernsey broke through and won his first major event, doing it in what most players would describe as ‘the hard way;’ coming from the loss side to challenge and twice defeat a hot seat occupant.  He played a preliminary round (one of 12 matches to gain entry into the larger winners’ side bracket), and advanced through four other matches, allowing his opponents an average of between three and four racks per match (3.6) in races to 8; against Steve Raynes (4), Bobby Diggs (2), Dario Gomez (5), Aram Hasan (6) and a measly single rack to Doug Winnett. This gave Guernsey a shot at Mike Rountree in one of the winners’ side semifinals.
 
Tony Sulsar, in the meantime, bypassed the preliminary round and faced four opponents, with whom he was stingier than Guernsey, giving up an average of between two and three racks per match (2.75) against Shan Iyer (3), Steve Sheppard (4), Chris Rickman (1) and Mike Nagaki (3). This set Sulsar up in the other winners’ side semifinal against Roman Bayda, who had just sent the tour’s #1-ranked player, Rick Stanley, to the loss side.
 
In a straight-up race to 8, Sulsar advanced to the hot seat match over Bayda 8-4. He was joined by Rountree, who’d sent Guernsey to the loss side 7-7 (Guernsey racing to 8). Sulsar claimed the hot seat 8-5 over Rountree, chalking up what would prove to be his last match win.
 
On the loss side, Guernsey picked up Stanley, who, following his loss to Bayda, had eliminated Phillip Palmer 9-5 and Mike Nagaki 9-3. Bayda drew Luis Lopez, who was working on a six-match, loss-side winning streak that had most recently included wins over Doug Winnett 7-4 and Gerardo Perez, double hill, in a straight-up race to 7.
 
Guernsey ended Stanley’s short, loss-side bid for a fifth win on this year’s tour with an 8-5 win, as Bayda ended Lopez’ loss-side streak at six with a double hill win (8-6). Guernsey and Bayda battled to double hill in the quarterfinals that followed, with Guernsey advancing for a second shot against Rountree in the semifinals.
 
Guernsey got by Rountree 8-4 in those semifinals and with, at minimum, another runner-up finish in his pocket, he turned his attention to Sulsar in the hot seat; the tour’s #8-ranked player (Sulsar) versus its #23-ranked player (Guernsey). Guernsey took the two-set opener in convincing fashion 8-3, and though Sulsar would chalk up two more racks in the second set, it wasn’t enough to keep Guernsey from capturing his first title on the tour’s last stop.
 
Regarding this last event on the tour she’s directed for the past six years, tour director Bailey thanked the ownership and staff at Rusty’s Billiards (where the tour began six years ago, and ended on this weekend), as well as sponsors Michael Hoang of OMEGA Billiards Supply, FargoRate.com and OB Cues. Regarding the past six years, she had a few more expressions of gratitude to pass along.
 
The announcement came in September. It stated that “due to increased responsibilities at (Bailey’s full-time job), and future career opportunities,” along with the need for the tour’s main sponsor, OMEGA Billiards Supply, “to make sound business and financial decisions” that, by mutual agreement, they “could no longer move forward with the Omega Billiards Tour after this year.” The statement expressed thanks “to all, for helping put the DFW (Dallas/Ft. Worth) pool scene back on the map for the past five and a half years.”
 
“We loved the players, the pool rooms, and the fans,” the statement went on to say, “and we wish you all nothing but the best in your pool journeys.”
 
Bailey added the released statement and wrote about the decision in a September entry to her blog – Pool is a Journey (http://pooljourney.blogspot.com/2017/09/tough-decisions.html).
 
“I want to sincerely thank you for always being so supportive, responsive and a great friend to (me) and the tour,” she wrote.
 
She expanded on this theme in one of her regular-as-clockwork e-mails to us here at AZBilliards, which provided us, at the conclusion of every tour stop, all of the information necessary to write a coherent report on each event.  It should be noted, in that regard, that we here at AZBilliards extend our thanks to her, as well.
 
“It had always been a dream of mine to start a tour in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area for the players and businesses,” she wrote to us. “I am so honored to have received such great support the last six years from the players, the sponsors and pool rooms that helped make the tour successful.”
 
“We grew from six stops a year with 64 players at each stop, and $1,200-added, to 12 stops a year with nearly 100 players and $1,700-added,” she wrote. “THANK YOU! Going to miss you all.”
 
She also took the time to explain that a new tour will debut in the DFW area soon, with, she explained, “11 stops next year.”
 
“So,” she wrote, “players will still have a tour to play on, which is really awesome.”
 
At the conclusion of her September blog entry, she inserted a quote from Lessons Learned in Life, which summed up the joy of the tour, the friends she’d made, and ultimately, the turmoil of the decision to move on.
 
“You will know you made the right decision,” it said, “when you pick the hardest and most painful choice, but your heart is at peace.”
 
We wish her well! 

Jones comes from the loss side on the Omega Tour to chalk up first 2017 win

Danny Williams, Jesse Wicoxson and Jeremy Jones

It's been 14 years since Jeremy Jones climbed to the # 8 spot on the AZB Money Leaderboard. He won the US Open 9-Ball Championships and Texas Open that year (2003), as well as a stop on the Fast Eddie's Tour. He was also a member of the winning USA Mosconi Cup team and was among the top ten finishers in 11 of the 13 events in which he went home with cash. Jones has added earnings to his AZ database page every year since 1998, when he finished in the tie for 17th at the US Open.
 
Though 2017 has been something of a slow year (so far) for Jones, he has chalked up a few top 10 finishes in a number of events, including (in descending, cash earnings order) the Derby City Classic (5th in One Pocket), the Big Tyme Classic (5th in Main Event and One Pocket), and the inaugural Scotty Townsend Memorial 9-Ball Tournament (7th). On the weekend of August 5-6, he joined a record field of 123 entrants on the Omega Billiard Tour's 8th stop (previous record on the tour was 105 entrants), and after winning his first three matches (over Victor Sorto, Curtis Caldwell and Joe Pelayo), was sent to the loss side by Crispian Ng. From there, he mounted a seven-match, loss-side winning streak, culminating in an appearance in the finals in which he double dipped hot seat occupant Danny Williams to claim his first 2017 event title. It was only his second appearance in an Omega Billiard Tour final. His first was in the tour's inaugural year (2102) and he was the runner-up. There is some suspicion that in this most recent second appearance in an Omega Billiard Tour final, he was (somehow) motivated by the fact that he'd recently, in July, become a newlywed. The $1,700-added event that led to his first 2017 win was hosted by Wizard's in Richardson, TX.
 
While Jones was at work on the loss side, Williams was working on his own seven-match winning streak that would put him in the hot seat. He got by Brandon Sizemore, Mike Stankiewicz, Phillip Palmer, Robin Barbour, and Tony Sulsar to draw Aram Hasan in a winners' side semifinal. Jesse Wilcoxson, in the meantime, having downed Highway Sigadi, Cody McComas, Jake Polendo, Amos Bush, and David Gutierrez, drew Jeff Turney in the other winners' side semifinal.
 
Williams sent Hasan to the loss side 8-3, and in the hot seat match, faced Wilcoxson, who'd survived a double hill fight against Turney (6-6; Turney racing to 7). The battle for the hot seat proved to be Williams' last win of the weekend, and he made the most of it, shutting Wilcoxson out 8-0 to claim that hot seat, and await the return of "Double J."
 
"Double J," in the meantime, was working his way back. On the loss side, he got by Douglas Pitts, Justin Whitehead, Denny Snead, and downed familiar foe, David Gutierrez 9-6 to draw Hassan. Turney drew Crispian Ng, who'd recently defeated Luis Lopez and Tony Sulsar, both 8-4, as a Ng/Jones re-match in the quarterfinals loomed on the horizon.
 
It didn't happen. Jones did his part, downing Hassan 9-3, but Turney eliminated Ng 7-5. Jones took the quarterfinal match versus Turney 9-2, and then brushed Wilcoxson aside, allowing him only a single rack in the semifinals.
 
Over the next 23 games, in two double elimination final sets, Jones gave up only five racks. He gave up two in the opening set against Williams, and allowed him only one more than that in the second set to claim the event title, and his first 2017 win.
 
Tour director Melinda Bailey thanked the ownership and staff at Wizards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Michael Hoang of OMEGA Billiards Supply, FargoRate.com and OB Cues. The next stop on the Omega Billiard Tour, scheduled for  Sept. 9-10, will be a $1,700-added event, hosted by Speeds in Arlington, TX.
 

Pitts goes undefeated to take Omega Billiard Tour stop on Memorial Day Weekend

Dave Faver, Juan Bautista and Douglas Pitts

Douglas Pitts chalked up his second victory (his first in a couple of years) on the Omega Billiard Tour with an undefeated run on the weekend of May 27-28. He had to get by David Faver twice to do it; once, in a winners' side semifinal and again, in the finals. The $1,700-added, 5th stop on the tour drew 87 entrants to Puckett's in Fort Worth, TX.
 
For a while there, about three matches, it looked as though Pitts was just going to breeze through the field. He shut out his first opponent (Eric Solomon), gave up three racks to his second (Travis Landsdowne), and surrendered a single rack to Robert Reighter before running into three straight double hill matches that eventually put him in the hot seat.
 
He survived his first double hill match in a winners' side quarterfinal against Tony Barrington, and then, in one of the two winners' side semifinals met up with Dave Faver, who'd arrived on the scene with a 'back story' that had a way of focusing a lot of attention on what he eventually accomplished as the event's runner-up. Last July, Faver was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and after a tough fall and winter, characterized by chemotherapy, radiation and a bout of pneumonia, had his esophagus (and the cancer) removed in April. Exhausted and weak all weekend, according to tour director Melinda Bailey, Faver literally battled through to his winners' side, double hill semifinal against Pitts, and then won three on the loss side to challenge Pitts a second time in the finals. 
 
As Pitts and Faver struggled through their double hill ordeal, Juan Batista and Phillip Palmer battled in the other winners' side semifinal, won by Bautista 6-5 (Palmer racing to 7). Pitts claimed the hot seat 7-5 over Bautista and waited on Faver's return.
 
On the loss side, Faver picked up TJ Davis, who'd gotten by Oscar Araujo 9-4 (double hill), and Crispian Ng 9-5. Palmer drew Barrington, who, after his defeat at the hands of Pitts, had defeated Denny Snead 8-3 and Greg Sandifer 8-6. Barrington then downed Palmer 8-6 (double hill), and in the quarterfinals, met up with Faver, who'd eliminated Davis 7-7 (double hill).
 
As tired and exhausted as he was, Faver locked up in his third straight double hill fight (against Barrington) and won it (7-7). His second (possibly third or fourth) wind kicked in during the semifinals, in which he defeated Batista 7-3. Pitts, in the finals, ended Faver's extraordinary run. He defeated Faver 7-3 to claim the event title.
 
Tour director Melinda Bailey thanked the ownership and staff at Puckett's as well as sponsors Michael Hoang of OMEGA Billiards Supply, FargoRate.com and OB Cues. The sixth stop on the Omega Billiards Tour, a $1,700-added event, scheduled for June 24-25, will be hosted by Clicks in Arlington, TX. Further information about the Omega Billiard Tour can be found by visiting their Web site at Omegabilliardstour.com
 

Stanley comes from the loss side to double dip Sneed at Stop #3 on Omega Billiards Tour

Tony Sulsar, Denny Sneed and Rick Stanley

Denny Sneed sent him to the loss side, so it was only fitting that Rick Stanley came back from a three-match visit to double dip him in the finals and claim the event title. The $1,700-added event, Stop # 3 on the Omega Billiards Tour, drew 85 entrants to Pockets in Euless, TX on the weekend of March 25-26. 
 
Sneed's four-match jaunt to the winners' side semifinal against Stanley, saw him face opponents with increasing handicaps. Sneed (a "7") downed a "4" (7-0), a "5" (7-2), a "6" (7-5) and another "7" (7-1) to draw Stanley, a "9." Stanley came within a game of chalking up as many racks against Sneed (7) in the winners' side semifinal than all four of Sneed's previous opponents combined. The tie score, however (7-7), was not enough. Stanley moved to the loss side, as Sneed advanced to the hot seat match against Tony Sulsar ("8"), who'd sent Robby Cleland over 8-4. Sneed claimed the hot seat 7-5 over Sulsar and waited on Stanley's return.
 
On the loss side, Stanley's three-match trip back to the finals began against Phillip Palmer, whose eight-match, loss-side winning streak was about to come to an end. Wins #7 and #8 for Palmer came at the expense of Mark Szabo 7-4 and Cory Anderson 7-3. Cleland drew Mike Voelkering, who'd been sent to the loss side by Sneed in a winners' side quarterfinal match, and defeated Doug Winnett and Donnie Gregory, both 7-3. 
 
Stanley defeated Palmer 9-3, as Voelkering was busy eliminating Cleland 7-5. Stanley then eliminated Voelkering 9-1 in the quarterfinals, and though Sulsar put up a respectable fight in the semifinals that followed, Stanley advanced 9-6 to his rematch against Sneed in the finals.
 
Sneed was racing to 7, while Stanley was racing to 9. Stanley took the opening set of the true double elimination final 9-2. Sneed chalked up an extra rack in the second set, but Stanley won it to claim the event title.
 
Tour Director Melinda Bailey thanked the ownership and staff at Pockets, in addition to sponsors Michael Hoang of OMEGA Billiards Supply, FargoRate.com and OB Cues. Stop #4 on the Omega Billiard Tour, scheduled for the weekend of April 29-30, will be a $1,700-added event, hosted by JR Pocket in Denton, TX. 

Parra double dips Nieto to win Omega Billiards 9-Ball Tour season opener

Juan Parra, Alberto Nieto and Kenny Rowell

Juan Parra took two out of three over Alberto Nieto, double dipping him in the finals, to win the season opening event of the Omega Billiards 9-Ball Tour, held on the weekend of January 14-15. The $1,700-added event drew 90 entrants to Rusty's Billiards in Arlington, TX,
 
Parra was more or less breezing along on the winners' side of the double elimination bracket, advancing to one of the winners' side semifinals, having given up, through five matches (48 games), only 14 racks.  Then, Parra had his first match against Nieto, who'd arrived on the scene having given up 18 racks through four matches (he'd been awarded an opening round bye). They battled to double hill, before Nieto advanced to the hot seat match. Kenny Rowell, in the meantime, downed Phillip Palmer 6-3 in the other winners' side semifinal to join Nieto in the battle for the hot seat. Nieto chalked up a second double hill win to claim the hot seat over Rowell. 
 
On the loss side, Parra picked up Mike Voelkering, who'd defeated Hector Guerrero 7-5 and Jeff Georges 7-4 to reach him. Palmer drew Corey Anderson, who'd eliminated George Merchan 8-4 and Steve Raynes 8-2. Anderson defeated Palmer 8-6, and in the quarterfinals, faced Parra, who'd squeaked by Voelkering, double hill.
 
Parra chalked up a second, double hill win, defeating Anderson in the quarterfinals, and then sent Kenny Rowell home 7-4 in the semifinals. The true double elimination finals saw Parra chalk up two 7-5 wins to claim the event title. 
 
Tournament director Melinda Bailey thanked the ownership and staff at Rusty's Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors OB Cues, Michael Hoang of Omega Billiards Supply and FargoRate.com. The next stop on the Omega Billiards 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for February 11-12, will be hosted by The Billiard Den in Richardson, TX.

Danny Williams Nabs Omega Billiards Tour Title at Speeds Billiards

Danny Williams

On the weekend of September 17-18, the Omega Billiards Tour was hosted by Speed’s Billiards in Arlington, Texas.   The staff and owners treated the players well with great service and an amazing atmosphere.  Fourteen tables allowed us to open the field up to 89 players!  
 
Rick Stanley, a tough player with a great attitude, made his way to the hotseat match with wins over Larry Land 8-1, Stephen Hansen 8-3, Mike Rountree 8-2, Robert Kempf 8-2, and Walt Anderson 8-2.  Local pro CJ Wiley had wins over Vincent Tovar 9-3, Crispian Ng 9-6, Phillip Palmer 9-1 , JD Wordlaw 9-1 and Joey Barnes hill-hill to meet Rick Stanley in the hotseat match.
 
The always-tough Danny Williams had wins over Gale Gladden 7-0, Viet My 7-6, and Mike Nagaki 7-6 before losing to Robbie Cleland 6-7.  Danny then made his way through the one-loss side with wins over Vincent Tovar 7-1, Cory Anderson 7-2, Brandon Sizemore 7-4, Doug Winnett 7-3, Joey Barnes 7-6 and Walt Anderson 7-3.
 
In the hostseat match it was anyone’s game between top players Rick Stanley and CJ Wiley, and Rick Stanley came out on top with a close score of 8-7.  
 
Then CJ Wiley played Danny Williams in the semi-final match and it was another close score with great play for the fans and Danny edged the win 6-7.  
 
The finals match was then set between Rick Stanley and Danny Williams.  The fans were really enjoying the great runs and safeties by the players.  Danny Williams would win the first set in this true-double elimination tournament 7-5 which forced a second set.  The second set went hill-hill!  And then Danny Williams would win the last game of the tournament to capture first place and the Omega Tour title!
 
Big congrats to Danny Williams for his 1st place finish!  Congrats to Rick Stanley for a hard-fought 2nd place and also to CJ Wiley for his great 3rd place finish.  Shout-out to 78-year-old Walt Anderson for placing 4th!  Wow!
 
5th/6th places were filled by Joey Barnes and Steve Sheppard, and 7th/8th places were filled by Paul Guernsey and Doug Winnett.  
 
Congrats to ALL the players and fans and sponsors for another great event!
 
A HUGE thank you goes out to our sponsors Omega Billiards Supply, OB Cues, and BCAPL/CSI.  We would also like to give a big thanks to our additional sponsors, Irving Ink and Thread, AZBilliards.com, Pool School, and BilliardsPress.com.
 
This year OB Cues is our Ranking sponsor and will be donating OB Cues to the top ranked 3 players at the end of the year!  BCAPL/CSI has joined again and will be giving away 5 BCAPL free entry fees the 2017 BCAPL Nationals.  After 8 stops, Tony Sulsar leads the Rankings with 665 points, CJ Wiley moved up to second place with 635 points, and Crispian Ng is third with 560 points.  Only one more stop to go for ranking points before the Finale!
 
Tournament Director Melinda Bailey would like to thank Speeds owners and staff for their awesome hospitality all weekend!  She would also like to thank co-Director Heather Farr – couldn’t have done this without you!    
 
A big thank you also goes out to Michael Hoang, main sponsor of the Tour and owner of Omega Billiards Supply in Hurst, TX.  Michael and Omega Billiards Supply are well known for the huge booths at many large tournaments across the country. 
 
The next stop will be held October 15-16 at Clicks in Arlington, Texas.   $1,500 added and already full with 85 players.  We have ten stops total in 2016.  Pool is alive and thriving in Texas!   
 
Check out the website for more details:   http://www.omegabilliardstour.com/
 
And follow the brackets live online at:  http://omegatour.challonge.com/8speeds17

CJ Wiley Captures Omega Billiards Tour Third Stop of 2016

CJ Wiley

On the weekend of March 19-20, the Omega Billiards Tour was hosted by Clicks Billiards in Arlington, Texas.   The staff and owners treated the players well with great service and an amazing atmosphere, and we very much appreciate each and every one of them!  
 
We were able to extend the field to 87 players for this third stop of the 2016 season.  And it was tough to predict who would come out on top with all the great talent in the field!
 
Always a top contender and previous Omega Billiards Tour Champion, Tony Sulsar, had a great tournament coming in 3rd with many tight races.  Phillip Palmer had another great finish as well through a lot of tough competitors and placed an impressive 4th.  Nick Evans, all the way from St. Louis and not even 20 years old yet, had wins over Ricky Ferguson 7-1, Emily Sumrall 7-2, Phillip Autieri 7-4, Greg Sandifer 7-3, Douglas Pitts hill-hill, and Forest Boyd 7-4 before finding himself in the hotseat.  CJ Wiley had a bye and then wins over Joey Salazar 9-3, Walter Huenerfuerst 9-1, Donnie Gregory 9-4, Anthony Shea 9-0 and Phillip Palmer 9-4 before meeting up with Nick in the hotseat.  CJ would win the hotseat match decisively 9-2.  
 
Nick was sent to the one-loss side and took care of Tony Sulsar 7-5 to get another chance against CJ Wiley in the finals.  The first match of the finals was close the whole time and Nick edged out a win 7-7, which forced a second set in this true double elimination finals.  And the second set was close again and this time it went hill-hill!  CJ broke and ran beautifully the last game to win the whole tournament!  BIG congratulations to CJ for snapping off this tough Omega event and to Nick Evans for placing an impressive 2nd! 
 
5th/6th places were filled by newcomer Forest Boyd and Douglas Pitts, and 7th/8th finishers were Denny Sneed and newcomer Robbie Cleland who had a fantastic first event!  
 
Congrats to ALL the players and fans for a great event!
 
A HUGE thank you goes out to our sponsors Omega Billiards Supply, Predator Cues, BCAPL/CSI, and OB Cues.  We would also like to give a big thanks to our additional sponsors, Irving Ink and Thread, AZBilliards.com, Pool School, and BilliardsPress.com.
 
This year OB Cues is our Ranking sponsor and will be donating three OB Cues to the top ranked 3 players at the end of the year!  BCAPL/CSI has joined again and will be giving away 5 BCAPL free entry fees the 2017 BCAPL Nationals. 
 
Tournament Director Melinda Bailey would like to thank the Clicks Billiards owners and staff for their awesome hospitality all weekend!  She would also like to thank her fabulous team:  Heather Farr and Jeffrey Georges.    
 
A big thank you also goes out to Michael Hoang, main sponsor of the Tour and owner of Omega Billiards Supply in Hurst, TX.  Michael and Omega Billiards Supply are well known for the huge booths at many large tournaments across the country. 
 
The next stop will be held April 30-May 1 at JR Pockets in Denton, Texas.   $1,500 added and limited to the first 80 PAID players (already full).  We will have ten stops total again in 2016.  Pool is alive and thriving in Texas!   
Check out the website for more details:   http://www.omegabilliardstour.com/
 
And follow the brackets live online at:  http://omegatour.challonge.com/
 
And check out video compilation from this event:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhET0MMQc6o

Tony Sulsar Back in the Winners Circle at the Omega Billiards Tour Season Opener

Tony Sulsar, Daniel Herring and Devin Poteet

On the weekend of January 9-10, the Omega Billiards Tour Season Finale was hosted by Rusty’s Billiards in Arlington, Texas.   The staff and owners treated the players well with great service and an amazing atmosphere, and they took care of all us all weekend long covering very long hours and we very much appreciate each and every one of them!  
 
We were able to extend the field to 97 players!  Highest number so far on the Tour, and it was a great way to open the 2016 Omega Billiards Tour Season!
 
Always a top contender Daniel Herring had a heck of a tourney with wins over Trent Stith 7-2, Gary Pope 7-0, Thomas Barrington 7-1, Phillip Palmer 7-6, Tony Matthew 7-4, and Friday Abismo 7-2 to make it to the hotseat match.  Tony Sulsar was making strides on the top half of the board with wins over Shane Minihan 8-6, Casey Dawson 8-0, a hill-hill thriller match over 18-year-old Devin Poteet 8-7, Eric Hsu 8-2, Larry Land 8-1, and Mike Voelkering 8-3.
 
The young gun Devin made a tear on the one-loss side after he lost hill-hill against Tony Sulsar.  He defeated Noreen Moy 8-0, Jamie Welch 8-4, Nick Conner 8-5, Curtis Cardwell 8-4, Chris Ferguson 8-5, Crispian Ng 8-5, and Friday Abismo 8-4.  Mike Voelkering would have a GREAT finish – he played with a lot of focus all weekend and placed an impressive 4th after a tough loss against Devin 8-5.  
 
In the hotseat match Tony Sulsar and Daniel Herring were battling it out Daniel came on top 7-2.  This meant rematch for Devin and Tony in the semi-final match and it was another nail biter and close match with Tony inching out the win 8-6.  Congrats to Devin for his fantastic 3rd place!
 
Tony then got another chance at Daniel Herring in the finals.  Tony would need to defeat Daniel twice, and twice he did, 8-2 and 8-4.  BIG congrats for a hard fight to Daniel for placing an impressive 2nd place!  And also to Tony Sulsar who made up for his lack of high finishes last year to start the season out with the FIRST PLACE title!
 
Congrats also to Friday and Greg Sandifer for 5th/6th place, and Tony Matthew and Crispian Ng for 7th/8th places.
 
Congrats to ALL the players and fans for a great event!
 
A HUGE thank you goes out to our sponsors Omega Billiards Supply, Predator Cues, BCAPL/CSI, and OB Cues.  We would also like to give a big thanks to our additional sponsors, Irving Ink and Thread, AZBilliards.com, Pool School, and BilliardsPress.com.
 
This year OB Cues is our Ranking sponsor and will be donating three OB Cues to the top ranked 3 players at the end of the year!  BCAPL/CSI has joined again and will be giving away 5 BCAPL free entry fees the 2017 BCAPL Nationals. 
 
Tournament Director Melinda Bailey would like to thank Rusty’s Billiards owners and staff for their awesome hospitality all weekend!  She would also like to thank her fabulous team:  Heather Farr and Dana Speed.    
 
A big thank you also goes out to Michael Hoang, main sponsor of the Tour and owner of Omega Billiards Supply in Hurst, TX.  Michael and Omega Billiards Supply are well known for the huge booths at many large tournaments across the country. 
 
The next stop will be held Feb 20-21 at The Billiard Den in Richardson, Texas.   $1,500 added and limited to the first 80 PAID players (already full).  We will have ten stops total again in 2016.  Pool is alive and thriving in Texas!   
 
Check out the website for more details:   http://www.omegabilliardstour.com/
 
And follow the brackets live online at:  http://omegatour.challonge.com/
 

Nick Conner Nabs the Speeds Omega Billiards Tour Stop

Nick Conner

On the weekend of October 10-11, the Omega Billiards Tour was hosted by Speeds Billiards in Arlington, Texas.   The staff and owners treated the players well with great service and an amazing atmosphere, and they took care of all us all weekend long covering very long hours and we very much appreciate each and every one of them.  
 
The field of 75 players and $1,500 added was full again of top players and by Sunday there was no front-runner as too many great players were still left competing!  
 
Mike Nagaki would have wins over Robin Barbour, 7-4, Mike Arebalo 7-2, Alberto Nieto 7-6, Steve Game 7-4, Cory Anderson 7-5 and then Nick Conner 7-4 in the hotseat to find himself in the finals!  Nick Conner had wins over Jay Diaz 8-2, Mike Rountree 8-6, Mike Stankiewics 8-3, Jordan Gartenberg 8-2 and then Greg Sandifer 8-2 before he was sent to the one-loss side by Mike Nagaki.  
 
After losing to Nick Conner in the second round, Mike Rountree started his tear and defeated Chris Smith 7-4, Juan Parra 7-6, Friday Abismo 7-4, Anthony Shea 7-5, Phillip Palmer 7-1, Alberto Nieto 7-1, Cory Anderson hill-hill, and then Crispian Ng 7-3.  He was finally defeated by Nick Conner (again) but Mike finished an impressive 3rd place and his highest yet!  
 
This left only Mike Nagaki and Nick Conner remaining in the tourney.  Nick would win the first set 8-5 to force a second set.  Then the next set went to a tough hill-hill with great play, and Nick came out on top to win his first stop of the year!
 
Congrat’s to Daniel Gilmore and Aberto for placing 7th/8th, Greg Sandifer and Cory Anderson for placing 5th/6th, Crispian for 4th, Mike Rountree for 3rd, and Mike Nagaki for HIS highest finish of 2nd place!  And to Nick Conner for nabbing first place!
 
Congrats to ALL the players and fans for a great event!
 
A HUGE thank you goes out to our sponsors Omega Billiards Supply, Predator Cues, Poison Break Cues, BCAPL/CSI, and Lucasi and Players Cues.  We would also like to give a big thanks to our additional sponsors, Hulsey Custom Cues, OB Cues, Irving Ink and Thread, Pro Billiard Service, AZBilliards.com, Billiards Digest, and BilliardsPress.com.
 
After nine stops this year, Greg Sandifer has grabbed first place in the Predator Player Points Rankings by only FIVE points over Nick Conner.  Nick Conner was Tour Champion last year and Greg Sandifer is the Omega Billiards Tour Champion now this year!   Nick is ranked 2nd this year, Daniel Herring finished an impressive 3rd place in the rankings, Cory Anderson finished the season ranked 4th, with Crispian Ng finishing in 5th place.  The top three players will all receive Predator Prizes!   Places 4th through 8th will receive a FREE entry into BCAPL Nationals in 2016!  6th place was filled by Steve Raynes, 7th was Tommy Ulbik and 8th place was Philip Palmer.  What a fantastic season for these guys!
 
Tournament Director Melinda Bailey would like to thank Speed’s Billiards owners and staff for their awesome hospitality all weekend!     
 
A big thank you also goes out to Michael Hoang, main sponsor of the Tour and owner of Omega Billiards Supply in Hurst, TX.  Michael and Omega Billiards Supply are well known for the huge booths at many large tournaments across the country. 
 
The next stop is the SEASON FINALE Nov 14-15 at Rusty’s Billiards in Arlington, Texas.   AT LEAST $4,500 added and players who played in three events this season are eligible to play.  Pool is alive and thriving in Texas!   
 
Check out the website for more details:   http://www.omegabilliardstour.com/
 
And follow the brackets live online at:  http://omegatour.challonge.com/