Anthony Meglino appears to be on-target to match and likely exceed his 2018 earnings at the table, which, according to our records, was his best earnings year since he began showing up in our database 12 years ago. He started 2019 out at the Derby City Classic where he cashed in five events; the One Pocket Mini (3rd), the 9-Ball Banks Mini (9th), One Pocket (10th), Banks (59th) and 9-Ball (65th). At a March 9-10 stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour (#3), he went undefeated to claim his first 2019 event title. The $750-added event drew 64 entrants to Boulevard Billiards in Ocala, FL.

 

Meglino had to get by another Anthony, Fisher, twice to claim the title; once, in the hot seat and again, in the finals. Meglino’s route to the winners’ circle went through Robert Batson, David Singleton, and Kyle Bova, before running into Tommy Kennedy in a winners’ side quarterfinal. A double hill match eventually sent Kennedy to the loss side and Meglino on to face Marvin Llamas in a winners’ side semifinal. Fisher, in the meantime, who was looking for his first major event victory, got by Rich Rushton, Gary Hale, James Adams and Dan Waskom, to arrive at the other winners’ side semifinal match against Che Mrvos.

 

Identical 7-4 victories over Llamas and Mrvos moved Meglino and Fisher on to the hot seat match. Meglino claimed the hot seat 7-3 over Fisher and waited on his return.

 

On the loss side, Llamas picked up David Grossman, who’d been defeated in the opening round of play by Justin McNulty and was in the midst of a seven-match, loss-side winning streak that was about to come to an end. He’d most recently eliminated Dan Waskom and Steve Foster, both 5-3 to face Llamas. Mrvos drew Kennedy, who, following his defeat at the hands of Meglino, had defeated Les Duffy 5-2 and shut out Justin McNulty.

 

Mrvos ended Kennedy’s short, loss-side trip 5-2. Llamas joined him in the quarterfinals after a 5-1 victory over Grossman. Llamas took the quarterfinal match 5-3, but had his own modest loss-side streak ended by Fisher in the semifinals 5-2.

 

In their second of two, Meglino picked up the pace against Fisher, just a bit. He’d given up three in the hot seat match and reduced that to two in the finals. He claimed the event title 5-2 in a shortened-by-approaching-dawn (and clocks that moved forward an hour) final match at approximately 4:30 a.m.

 

The top junior finisher in the event was Trenton White (25th). The top lady finisher in the event was Michel Monk (17th).

 

Tour directors Janene Phillips and Bobby Garza thanked Don Kreischer and his Boulevard Billiards staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Predator Cues, Cyclop Balls, Kamui, Diamond Products, USAPL, AZBilliards and Stitch It To Me Embroidery, as well as the Live Stream provided by Cue Sports Studios. The next stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour (#4), scheduled for the weekend of May 11-2, will be a $1,000-added event, hosted by Brewlands Bar and Billiards in North Lakeland, FL.

In the summer of 2017, Stephen Richmond competed in two events at which he finished as runner-up; to Donny Mills in a June stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour, and to Tommy Kennedy in an August stop on the J. Pechauer Southeast Open 9-Ball Tour. In both events, Richmond got into the hot seat, only to be defeated in the finals. On the weekend of February 3-4, competing in the Florida Pool Tour’s $5,000-added, 2018 Florida State Amateur 9-Ball Championships, that drew 122 entrants to Zingale’s Billiards Room & Sports Bar in Tallahassee, FL, Richmond opted for a different route. He advanced to the hot seat match, but was defeated by Miguel Batista. He returned from the semifinals to defeat Batista, and claim the event title; his first, according to our available records, since he won a stop on the Pure X Cues All American Tour in April of 2013.

 

Richmond and Batista got into their first of two matches, battling for the hot seat, following identical 7-5 victories in the winners’ side semifinals; Richmond, over Denny Singletary, and Batista, over Steve Foster. They then proceeded to battle each other to a 7-5 finish that sent Richmond to the semifinals.

 

On the loss side, Singletary and Foster ran immediately into their second straight losses. Singletary went down in a double hill fight against Nick Applebee, who’d previously defeated Wesley White 5-1 and Matt Bulfin, also double hill. Foster was defeated 5-1 by Mike Delawder, who’d eliminated Jason Wells 5-3 and Rod Rentz 5-1 to reach him.

 

In what was described by tour officials as an “intense hill/hill (quarterfinal) match,” Applebee and Delawder fought back and forth for the right to meet Richmond in the semifinals. Applebee prevailed, only to be downed by an apparently determined Richmond 5-1.

 

In an extended race-to-9 final, Richmond and Batista came within a game of yet another double hill match. Richmond, though, pulled out in front to win it 9-7 and claim the event title.

 

A Second Chance event drew a full field of 64 entrants. It was won by Jeff Jordan.

 

Tour representatives thanked Mike Zingale and his staff for their hospitality at their brand new location (1147 Apalachee Parkway), as well as sponsors Simonis, Aramith, Stroke-It-Wear, Crosby’s Billiards and Darts, and XL Press Co. The next stop on the Florida Pool Tour, the 2018 Florida State Open 10-Ball Championship, scheduled for March 3-4, will once again be hosted by Zingale’s.

 

With the event's previous two winners facing each other in the hot seat match – Tommy Kennedy (2014) and Mike Davis, Jr. (2015) – the 5th Annual Southeast Open 9-Ball Tournament, held on the weekend of August 27-28, looked as though it was going to crown its first repeat winner. Justin Hall spoiled the party, so to speak. Sent to the loss side by Davis in a winners' side semifinal, Justin returned to challenge and eventually defeat Davis in a tightly contested final match race to 12. The event, streamed live all weekend by Xtreme Pool Challenge, drew 95 entrants to Zingale's in Tallahassee, FL.

 

"I struggled pretty much every match," said Hall in a post-final interview. "I almost didn't get to the finals, period. 

 

"I played better and better throughout the day (on Sunday)," he added, "but I'd miss a few balls for a game or two, and then run out."

 

Davis, who hasn't been playing as much as he'd like to over the past year, chalked his defeat up to his own mistakes. Hall's victory, though, didn't surprise him.

 

"I've played him a lot of times," said Davis, "and he's a real solid player.

 

" It was a real tough (final) match," Davis added. "He played well, but I folded under the pressure and choked a little at the end. Just recently, I haven't played as much, and that showed up there at the end."

 

Hall's weekend started strong, as he gave up only eight racks over his first four matches against Mo Fattah (2), James Sandaler (0) Jordan Bureau (4) and David Walters (2). David Jacobs gave him a run for his money in a winners' side quarterfinal match that went double hill before sending Hall into the winners' side semifinals against Davis. Davis, in the meantime, gave up 23 racks over his first four against Tony Danford (1), Billy Burke (7), Steve Foster (8) and Randy Jordan (7). Tobias Hoiss chalked up six more against him in the winners' side quarterfinals.

 

On the other half of the winners' side bracket, the 2014 winner, Tommy Kennedy was awarded an opening round bye, and then had a total of 16 racks chalked up against him (the same as Hall, with one less match) by David Grossman (7), Clint Nichols (2), Joseph Korsiak (4) and Mark Coats (3). This set Kennedy up to face Anthony Meglino in the other winners' side semifinal.

 

Davis sent Hall to the loss side 9-2, and in the hot seat match, faced Kennedy, who'd sent Meglino over 9-4. Davis got into the hot seat 9-6 and waited on Hall's return.

 

Hall moved over and picked up Mark Coats, who'd defeated Kyle Bova 9-4 and Randy Jordan 9-5 to reach him. Meglino drew Hoiss, who'd eliminated Richard Brompton and David Jacobs, both 9-2. Hall downed Coats 9-6 and in the quarterfinals, faced Meglino who'd shut Hoiss out.

 

Hall took the quarterfinals over Meglino 9-6. He then fought a tight, semifinal battle against Kennedy that came within a game of double hill before Hall advanced 9-7.

 

Hall and Davis fought back and forth through numerous ties in the early going of the race-to-12 finals. Davis got out in front a few times, but by game 20, they were dead even at 10 apiece. Hall won the next two to claim the 5th Annual Southeast Open 9-Ball title.