Houston’s Ming “Empress” Ng came out firing during the final Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Tour 9-ball Event of the year, held at Bogies Billiards and Sports Bar in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, October 10th, 2015. Ng went undefeated through a talented field of 32 women, ousting 2013 Gulf Coast Tour Champion, Gail Eaton, in the final set, 7-6, giving Ng her second, consecutive victory. Also in the news, following a well-fought year of ups and downs, Ricki Casper earned the title 2015 Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Tour Champion. Casper won the first stop of the year and amassed two fourth place finishes and a top ten finish, earning herself the points and the title.

 

Bogies Billiards and Sports Bar, www.BogiesBilliards.com, along with tour sponsors Delta-13 Rack www.delta-13.com, and APA of North Harris County www.facebook.com/apanorthharriscounty, facilitated another successful event for the women of the Gulf Coast Tour who came out to compete for over $1,000 in prize money, packed into a one-day competition! It was the final stop on this year’s acclaimed Gulf Coast Tour, the sanctioned WPBA Regional Tour which emerged with its fledgling season in 2013, and has amassed the largest WPBA member following of 13 regional tours. With 54 WPBA Members and 6 stops to close out the year, Gulf Coast is looking to expand in 2016.  The tour has established a Board of Directors comprised of 7 women who will be working diligently to improve the tour on all fronts. Teresa Garland, Ricki Casper, Kim Pierce, Erica Hanlon, Karen Reilly, Toni Esteves, and Kimberly Newsome, will be working to develop new members, venues, sponsorships, and incentive programs, to keep the Gulf Coast Tour at the top of its game. “The commitment made by all of the Gulf Coast Tour players is encouraging and inspiring” says tour founder and director, Kimberly Newsome. “

 

Players came out in full force, posting the second largest attendance of the year. The event was played on (8) 9’ Brunswick Gold Crown tables with new tournament blue, Simonis cloth. The ladies raced to 7 on the winners’ side, and 5 on the one loss side. The road to the winners’ side final four saw Ming Ng defeat Amber Keithley, 7-0, Regina Gomez, 7-2, and Kim “Texas Heat” Pierce, 7-2. Natalie Mans poured it on with wins over Tam Trinh, 7-3, Sara Bork, 7-4, and Teresa Garland, 7-3. Sophie Salinas made her bid for the final four with wins over Brandi Humber, 7-4, Lisa Pinkston, 7-3, and Natalie Rocha, 7-5. Terry Petrosino kept her eye on the prize, ousting Kim Jenkins, 7-5, Gail Eaton, 7-4, and Liz Mitchel, 7-1. On the one loss side, following a second round loss to Petrosino, Eaton eliminated Erica Hanlon, 5-1, Trinh, 5-2, and Pierce, 5-3, while Garland bested Terri Resendez, 5-1, Mundie fell to Mitchel, 5-4, and Rocha ousted Bork, 5-1. Eaton went on to defeat Garland, 5-4, and Salinas, 5-2, while Rocha fell to Mitchel, 5-4, in turn, losing to Mans, 5-0. It was down to the final two players on the one loss side, and after 5 consecutive wins, Eaton’s momentum was unwavering. Eaton overcame Mans, 5-3, while Ng slid by Petrosino for the hot seat win, 7-6.  Eaton dusted off Petrosino, 7-6, securing her seventh consecutive win and setting the stage for an all-too familiar, finals match-up. In crowd pleasing form, as expected, these former pros took it to the hill, with Ng pulling ahead in the final game, to win her second, consecutive tour victory, 7-6.

 

New at this event were “live” online brackets, making it possible for players to follow tournament progress on their mobile devices. “The Gulf Coast Tour looks forward to implementing new programs for 2016 aimed at increased visibility and value for our venues, sponsors, and players. Online brackets will be accessible through GulfCoastWomensTour.com, however, we will still use paper charts on-site for our not-so-tech-savvy players and fans” says GCWRT founder and tour director, Kimberly Newsome. 

 

The Gulf Coast Tour would like to acknowledge, and thank, its 2015 venues, sponsors, and supporters: Bogies Billiards and Sports Bar, Bogies West, Skinny Bob’s Billiards, Ariana’s, Delta-13 Rack, APA of North Harris County, Derrell Montgomery, Chuck Adams, John Newsome, Roger Allen Cue Repair, James Hanshew Cue Repair, Walter Kelley Cue Repair, and Bobby Garcia at RE Visual Concepts who captured some spectacular action shots during the finale. Special thanks to Teresa Garland and Ricki Casper for assisting with the online brackets and raffle ticket distribution for the Gulf Coast Tour “players only” free door prize drawings.

 

The next big event on the Texas tournament calendar will be the Space City Open IV, December 3rd-6th, 2015, held at Bogies Billiards and Sports Bar, 3040 FM 1960 E., Ste. 101, Houston, Texas, 77073,  hosting 4 divisions, including a ladies open 9-ball division played on 8’ tables. For more information, visit www.Facebook.com/SpaceCityOpen or email SpaceCityEvent@gmail.com. Space City live streaming will be featured at www.SpaceCityOpen.com. 

 

The WPBA sanctioned Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Tour would like to thank all of the players who participated this year, and encourage everyone woman who loves to play pool, compete in a friendly atmosphere, or has the desire to improve their game, to join the Gulf Coast Tour. The next Gulf Coast Tour Event is tentatively set for Saturday, January 2nd, 2016. Tour and event updates will be posted on the Gulf Coast personal page www.Facebook.com/GulfCoastTour, business page www.Facebook.com/GulfCoastTour1, and the new tour website, www.GulfCoastWomensTour.com (in the works). “Follow” the tour and its players at www.Twitter.com/gulfcoasttour. For more information about the Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Tour, contact Kimberly Newsome at 713.825.1411 or email GulfCoastTour1@gmail.com.