Will Felder fought his way through an elite, open division of 32 players, besting Durango Duran in the finals, 7-0, while David Thomas took care of business in the 50 player amateur division, also overcoming Duran in the amateur finals, 7-4. Felder and Thomas went undefeated to win their first-ever Lone Star Tour event titles.
Ariana’s, along with tour sponsors Poison by Predator Cues www.poisonbilliards.com, Delta-13 Rack www.delta-13.com, Ozone Billiards www.ozonebilliards.com, www.ImproveYourShot.com, and the APA of North Harris County www.facebook.com/apanorthharriscounty, facilitated another successful event for Houston’s thriving pool community. In business for over 33 years, the former "Rose Country Club", newly reopened and renamed, "Ariana's", added a generous $1,500 to the event, and owners Minh and Bill Hammond couldn’t have been more pleased with the turnout. Rose Country Club was leased for a period of time when the couple felt they were ready to retire from the bar business, but retirement didn't last long! Following the lease period, the old Rose Country was closed for a brief time for cleaning and repairs and debuted earlier this year as the all-new, "Ariana's", once again under the direction of the Hammond’s.
There were nearly 80 players in attendance this past weekend, May 16th-17th at Ariana’s, hosting its first Lone Star Tour event since 2009. Open division action saw Will Felder defeat John Chang, 9-5, Chuck Farinella, 9-3, Raymond Cardenas, 9-5, and Durango Duran for the hot seat, 9-8. Along the way, Duran bested David Thomas, 9-6, J.J. Manley, 9-0, and Kevin Frauenberger, 9-8. Joey Torres and J.J. Manley teed off on the one loss side with Torres advancing, 7-1. It was Kris Modisette over Tom Welch, and Tim Ramon fell to David Thomas. After a second round loss to Duran, 9-5, Thomas went on to win 7 consecutive matches, including wins over Frauenberger, 7-3 and Cardenas, 7-5, but coming up short with Duran, 7-2. Duran didn’t last long as Felder took him down, 7-0, to capture his first Lone Star Tour event title.
In the amateur division, David Thomas was on fire with wins over Damion Manning, 7-3, Sam Stony, 7-4, and Raymond Cardenas, 7-2, while Alex Cardenas defeated J.J. Manley, 7-3, Tom Welch, 7-3, and Bob McFerren, 7-1. Thomas overcame A. Cardenas for the hot seat, 7-4. On the one loss side, Jesse Langston eliminated Tom Welch, 5-3, and Kenneth Price ousted Rudy Sanchez. Duran eliminated Sam Stony and it was Lufkin’s Ralph Foy over Danny Bennett. Langston was shut out by Raymond Cardenas, 5-0, and Duran sent McFerren packing, 5-2. After losing his second match to Ralph Foy, Duran won an incredible 9 consecutive matches before falling to Thomas in the final, 7-4. Congratulations to David Thomas who went undefeated in a stout field of 50 players to secure his first Lone Star Tour event title.
The Lone Star 9-ball bar table event included a side-by-side with the Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Tour, also sponsored by Delta-13 Rack and the APA of North Harris County. This year the Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Tour will stage a women’s 9-ball event at each Lone Star Tour stop. The June 20th Gulf Coast Women’s Event has been rescheduled for September 12TH-13TH at Bogies Billiards (3040 FM 1960 E) and it will be a $1,000 added 10-ball event. On Saturday, Loretta Lindgren captured her first regional tour title, besting Teresa Garland in the second set of the true double elimination final, 7-4. Congratulations Loretta! Read the complete article at www.wpba.com and on Facebook/GulfCoastTour.
"Thank you" to Damion Manning, Melvin “Junior” Miller, Chuck Adams, and Mike Fabacher for assisting with tournament duties. Many thanks go out to supporters Toni and Rudy Esteves and their gang from Lufkin, Texas who attended the event; J.B Chapel, Ralph Foy, Kris Modisette, and R.J. Smith.
Congratulations to Gulf Coast ladies Amber Keithley and Ricki Casper who won Poison VX Break/Jump Cues in Saturday’s Poison Cue Raffles.
The next Lone Star Billiards Tour 9-ball event will be June 20th-21st at Bogies Billiards, 3040 FM 1960 E., in Houston, Texas. For more information on the 2015 Lone Star Tour season, visit www.LoneStarBilliardsTour.com. “Like” us on Facebook at Facebook/LoneStarTour.
There were 88 players in attendance this past weekend at Bogies West in Houston, Texas, the newest Lone Star Billiards Tour venue, hosting its first two-day, 9-ball event in addition to a Gulf Coast Women’s 9-ball event. Former Lone Star Tour Champion Chase Rudder fought his way through an elite field of 39 players, while Marvin Diaz took care of business in his 51-player division, to capture 2015 Lone Star titles.
The Lone Star Tour Spring 9-Ball Event kicked off on Saturday, March 7th, and played through Sunday afternoon. Chase Rudder surged to a hot seat victory over Austin’s Tom Mooney, 9-3, and Abel Lara took down Bill Fuller in the amateur side hot seat, 7-1, but the finals would shape up a bit differently than expected.
Saturday’s competition brought back the final 40 competitors on Sunday. Open division action saw Rudder defeat Joey Torres, 9-6, James Davis, Jr., 9-3, and Raymond Cardenas, 9-6. Mooney bested Josh Dordek, 9-5, Jesse Langston, 9-7, and Mike Liang, 9-1, to meet Rudder for the hot seat. After a second round loss to Kevin Nguyen, League City’s Denis Strickland had an epic run with wins over Chuck Adams, Will Felder, Marc McClure, David Gutierrez, and Jesse Langston, to meet Joey Torres. On the topside, it was Davis, Jr. over Dordek, and Strickland put another notch in his belt with a 7-4 win over Torres. Davis Jr. ousted Liang, 7-3, and Strickland secured his seventh win over Cardenas, 7-6. On the east side, Rudder defeated Mooney for the hot seat, 9-3, while Strickland eliminated Davis, Jr. on the east, 7-6. After eight straight match wins, Strickland was still going strong. The former Houston Open Champion went on to secure his ninth straight win, eliminating Mooney, 7-4, earning himself a well-deserved shot at first place. In an amazing display of stamina, the veteran Strickland mustered enough steam to overcome Rudder for a tenth straight win, 9-5. Rudder knew it was time to tighten his belt and end Strickland’s reign. Stepping up his game, Rudder shut-out Strickland the second set, 7-0, to win his first event of 2015.
In the amateur division, Houston’s own Abel Lara reached the winners’ side final four with wins over Bobby Dominguez, Tyler Partin, Erik Renteria, and Horacio Cortez while Marvin Diaz bested Scooter Thweatt, Kevin Nguyen, and Josh Dordek, to meet Lara. Bill Fuller overcame Viet Do, Raymond Cardenas, and Anthony Gepayo, while Austin’s Justin Espinosa made his way through Sonny Bosshamer, John Newsome, and Tom Mooney. On the one loss side, Gepayo eliminated Renteria, 5-3, and Mooney bested Nguyen, 5-2. On the bottom side, Dordek ousted Newsome, 5-2, and Derrell Taylor fell to Cortez, 5-3. Back on the east side, Lara bested Diaz, 7-3, and it was Fuller over Espinosa, 7-5. On the one loss side, Diaz defeated Mooney, 5-3, while Dordek shut-out Espinosa, 5-0. Lara claimed the hot seat, dealing Fuller his first loss, 7-1. Diaz made his way back through Dordek, then Fuller, for a rematch with Lara. Diaz sent the finals into overtime, capturing the first set, 7-5. During the second set, after a few unforced errors by Lara, Diaz took the lead and secured the win, 5-2.
This year the Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Tour (www.facebook.com/gulfcoasttour) will stage a women’s 9-ball event at each Lone Star Tour stop. There were 29 ladies competing in Saturday’s event, with Natalie Esparza emerging undefeated with a 7-5 win over Terry Petrosino. Read the complete article at www.wpba.com.
The Lone Star Billiards Tour would like to thank sponsors Poison by Predator Cues, www.poisonbilliards.com, Delta-13 Rack, www.delta-13.com, Ozone Billiards, www.OzoneBilliards.com, www.ImproveYourShot.com, and the APA of North Harris County, www.facebook.com/apanorthharriscounty.
"Thank you" to Bogies West, GM Stephanie Verron and staff, for hosting a first-rate event. The tour would also like to recognize Chuck Adams and Ricki Casper for their assistance with tournament direction.
Last but not least, congratulations to Robyn and Richard Petrosino who each won a Poison VX Break/Jump Cue in Saturday’s raffles.
The next event will be May 16-17 at Ariana’s (the old Rose Country), 13802 Homestead Rd., Houston, Texas. This will be the first bar table event on tour since 2011 and we look forward to a big turnout. There are (16) tables and they will be open. For more information about Ariana’s, visit www.facebook.com/arianashonkytonkcantina.
For event details and information on the 2015 season, visit www.LoneStarBilliardsTour.com. “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LoneStarTour.
For the fourth year in a row, Melissa Little took the Ladies title at the Houston Open. This time, on the weekend of September 28-29, she went undefeated and did not, for the first time in three attempts, have to face Amanda Lampert in the finals. Belinda Lee faced her twice; from among the winners' side final four and in the finals of the $500-added event that drew 24 entrants to Legends Billiards in League City, TX.
Manny Chau picked up the victory in the $5,000-added Open event (in which Little competed, as well) that drew 124 entrants to the 23rd edition of the Houston Open, which has occasionally been held more than once in a calendar year. Chau had to come from the loss side to defeat hot seat occupant, Patrick Werren.
Once she had defeated Belinda Lee, Little moved into the winners' side final against Michelle Yim, who'd defeated Teresa Garland. Little got into the hot seat with a 7-4 victory over Yim and waited for what turned out to be the return of Lee.
Lee began her loss-side march back to the finals with a victory over Gail Eaton, and in the quarterfinals, defeated Renee Benton. A double hill win over Yim in the semifinals gave Lee a second shot at Little. Little, though, completed her undefeated run through the field with a 7-4 win to claim her fourth straight US Open title.
In the Open event, Chau and Werren met at the tables for the first time in the finals. Chau had been sent west by Sylver Ochoa 9-6 from among the winners' side final four, as Werren got by James Davis, Sr. 9-5. Werren took the hot seat match 9-5 and waited on Chau.
First up for Chau on the loss side was Jonathan Macias, who'd defeated Shawn Putnam and Shane Manaole, both 7-5, to reach him. Davis, Sr. picked up his son, James Davis, Jr., who'd gotten by Raymond Cardenas and Sonny Bosshammer, also both 7-5. Chau eliminated Macias 7-3 as father James, defeated son James 7-4.
Chau allowed father to exit with son, shortly thereafter, defeating Davis, Sr. 7-4. Ochoa put up a fight in the semifinals, but Chau finished the double hill battle, and turned to face Werren in the hot seat. Chau took the opener of the true double elimination final, giving up only a single rack, and jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set. Werren battled to bring that second set to double hill, before Chau finished it to claim the event title.
Austin favorite James “Bastrop” Davis Sr. was cool, calm, and collected, as he made his way through a field of 32 top competitors to capture the Open 9-Ball Division of the Lone Star Billiards Tour Texas Open Warm-Up III held this past weekend, August 10th-11th, 2013 at Skinny Bob’s Billiards in Round, Rock, Texas. In the final, Davis Sr. overcame European player Patrick Werren, 9-3, securing an undefeated, third tour victory. Amidst a field of 48 Amateur Division players, last year’s runner-up Chelo Velasquez captured his first tour victory over Raymond Cardenas, 7-1. Velasquez went undefeated as well without a single opponent surpassing 3 games. The event drew 80 players and paid out over $6,000 in prize money in addition to a free 9-ball division entry for each winner into the Space City Open II slated for December 6th-9th, at Bogies Billiards & Sports Bar, Houston, Texas.
In the Open Division, Bastrop’s path to victory included wins over David “Little David” Henson, 7-1, and Ed “Big Ed” Ambrose, 7-1, while Garett Sitz of College Station, Texas entered his bid for the hot seat ousting Pittsburg native Bob Guzik, 7-5, and upsetting Patrick Werren, 7-6. Steve Pennington upset Waco’s Doug Young, 7-6 and bested Cesar Garcia, 7-1, while local player Brian Sanders disappointed a wave of talent including Erik Renteria and Kevin Guimond. On the west side, Ambros eliminated Renteria, 6-5, and Henson sent Guimond packing, 6-2. Comeback players John Palmore and Brian Anderson were stopped in 9th-12th positions by Werren and Coffman, respectively. On the second day, races increased to 9 on the winners’ side and 7 on the one loss side. Winners’ side action saw Sitz fall to Davis Sr., 9-7, and Sanders steamroll Pennington, 9-3. Davis Sr. and Sanders teed off for a nail biter of a hot seat match. It was 8-6 Davis’ favor when Sanders answered back tying the match at 8. The shot of the match came when Davis Sr. kicked at a triple combination, the 1-ball to the 9-ball to the 8-ball, lined up towards the side pocket. As the shot was executed, long rail with deliberation and proper speed, the cue ball struck the 1-ball, hitting the 9-ball, in turn pocketing the 8-ball. Concluding the shot, the cue ball died, settling in front of a difficult 1-ball/9-ball combination, headed for the same pocket. With cue in hand, he pinpointed his aim, addressed the cue ball, and successfully pocketed the 9-ball. The crowd had little time to catch their breath as Werren forged ahead on the one-loss side eliminating Ambros, 7-1, Pennington, 7-1, and finally Sanders 7-5, to meet Davis Sr. in the finals. A young Werren shot out of the gate, taking a 2-0 lead. In the third game, Werren missed a routine 7-ball hooking the veteran player behind the 8-ball. Davis Sr. kicked one rail, long, and pocketed the 7-ball in the corner. The crowd gasped, followed by an explosion of clapping. Davis Sr. capitalized that game, consequently breaking and running the next rack. Werren answered back with an eight ball run, racking up his third game, but it would be his last as Davis Sr. replied with a 7 game shutout, besting Werren, 9-3.
Amateur Division action saw 36 players eliminated the first day, bringing back the final 12 for Sunday. It appeared as if last year’s Amateur Division Champion Frank Ferrer Jr. might repeat while last year’s runner-up Chelo Velasquez threatened a first-time win. After an impressive run by Victoria’s Alex Cardenas, he was sent west by contender and cousin, Raymond Cardenas. Flip Edwards fell to Ferrer, 7-6, Velasquez dominated David Neumann, 7-3, and David Escobedo struck down Colt Jackson, 7-5. On the west side, A. Cardenas bested Justin Wyly, 5-2, and Cesar Garcia eliminated Edwards, 5-3. It was Neumann over Brian Anderson, 5-1, and Jackson over Paul Jobe, 5-2. The level field played down with little or no upsets as R. Cardenas fell to Ferrer Jr. on the east side, 7-6, and Velasquez pounded on Escobedo, 7-3. Duking it out on the one loss side, A. Cardenas eliminated Edwards, 5-1, and Neumann thrashed Jackson, 5-1. Escobedo squeezed by A. Cardenas, 5-4, and R. Cardenas sent Neumann packing, 5-2. Hot seat action saw Velasquez torture Ferrer Jr., 7-1, while R. Cardenas left Escobedo in 4th place. R. Cardenas executed revenge on Ferrer Jr., staging his first Amateur Division final. Even though Velasquez underwent recent shoulder surgery on his stroking arm, it didn’t seem to hinder him as he slaughtered R. Cardenas in the final, 7-1, grasping what was denied him in 2012.
The Lone Star Tour would like to thank Skinny Bob’s Billiards and staff for hosting another first rate event.
The Lone Star Billiards Tour is sponsored by Poison by Predator Cues www.poisonbilliards.com, Delta-13 Rack www.delta-13.com, APA of North Harris County www.facebook.com/apanorthharriscounty, www.ImproveYourShot.com, and Ozone Billiards www.OzoneBilliards.com. Live streamed, recorded matches from this event may be viewed at www.ustream.tv/channel/lonestarbilliardstour. The complete event photo album can be found at www.facebook.com/lonestartour.
The Tour Championships will be held October 12th-13th, 2013 at Bogies Billiards in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.LoneStarBilliardsTour.com.
