Jeannie Seaver went undefeated for the second time in a row this year to take the Tiger Florida Tour’s 8th Annual “Cues for the Cure” breast cancer awareness fundraiser. Thirty-five women played in shades of pink in this $1,000-added modified double elimination event. 

 

Four players from the winners side and four from the loser’s side made it to the final single elimination board. Jeannie handily made it to the final board after sending several players west – Suzayn Yap 7-2, Roe Guarnero 7-5, and Cheryl Perez 7-4.  Vanessa also made it to the final board undefeated, getting past Mandolin Robinson 7-0, Sue Roberts 7-5, and Cortney Bernard 7-2.  Crystal McCormick also made it to the final board undefeated against Susan Correa 7-4, Stephanie Mitchell 7-3, abd Echo Pinkley 7-5. Marlene Houldsworth was the final player from the winners’ side to make it to the single elimination bracket, getting past Shiri Avrahami 7-1, Susan Ruisi 7-5, and Julia Spinella 7-4.  Making it to the final board from the one-loss side: Tour Director Mimi McAndrews, Stephanie Mitchell, Kelly Coyle, and Echo Pinkley.

The final four from one-loss side redrew into a single elimination bracket race to 7. Coyle drew Jeannie Seaver but lost 7-3, and Mitchell drew Houldsworth, winning 7-4. Pinkley matched up against McCormick, winning 7-4, and Vanessa played McAndrews, winning 7-3.  Vanessa went on to defeat Pinkley 7-4, making it Vanessa’s first trip to the Finals of a TFT event. Meanwhile, Seaver’s sister, Jeannie, defeated Mitchell in the semi-finals 7-4 to meet up with Vanessa in the first sister-to-sister final!  Not to be distracted by playing ‘sis for the first time in the finals, Jeannie went on to win the match and the tournament 7-2.  This win also secured the TFT Tour Champion title for the second year in a row.

 

We thank our title sponsor Tiger Products; Ozone Billiards; Great Lakes Billiards, Ultimate Chalkers, Boynton Billiards, AZ Billiards and Discount Mugs. Of course, thanks to Amy Poulter for being a great hostess again!  Thank you also to those who donated prizes for the Cues for the Cure raffle: Janis Sessions, Nicolle Cuellar (Stitchittomeembroidery.com), Pete Franco (Ulterior Chalkers), Boynton Billiards, and Keith Columbo, Billiard Engineering (The Sleeve).  And a huge thanks to everyone who supported and contributed to in the fundraiser. All of the proceeds raised benefit the South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

 

2015 TFT Tour Champion Jeannie Seaver won her first event in 2016, at Tour Stop #3 at Cunningham's in Vero Beach, climbing back to the top of the leader board along the way. Her win over Crystal McCormick didn't come easy, as McCormick shot lights out all day long. Seaver defeated Kelly Jones, visiting from the Sport-9 Tour, 7-4; Sue Roberts 7-4; and Stephanie Mitchell 7-4, to make it to the final board. McCormick got past Deb Teichert 7-6; newcomer Lauren Madden, 7-1; Julia Spinella 7-4 , and Michell Monk 7-4.

 

Mitchell and Monk fought through the one loss side to join Seaver and McCormick on the final board. Seaver topped Mitchell 7-3, and McCormick sent Monk home 7-2. In the final match, Seaver easily took the lead over McCormick. However, McCormick wasn't going to give up easily, showing her strength and making a tremendous come-back to get to the hill after being down 6-2. Ultimately, Seaver won the match which gave her enough points to reclaim the top spot on the TFT rankings. Seaver is followed by Nicolle Cuellar and Roe Guarnero, tied for second. Mitchell is in third place.

 

Thanks to the new owners of Cunningham's Pool & Darts, James Capas and Andrea Capas, for being great hosts! Thanks to our title sponsor, Tiger Products, and to Ozone Billiards, Great Lakes Billiards, Ulterior Chalkers, Boynton Billiards and Discount Mugs.

Fifty women converged at Amy’s Billiards in Stuart, Florida, for the Tiger Florida Tour’s $1,000-added, 7th Annual “Cues for Cure” breast cancer awareness fundraiser on October 17th. At the end of the day, Jeannie Seaver went undefeated and unwaveringly over last year’s winner, Crystal McCormick, to win this special event. 

 

This event was a modified double elimination format, playing down to four players on each side. The four players on the one-loss side redrew into the winners side for a single elimination match. Seaver was flawless all day in the short races to five, defeating Irene Snelgrove 5-2, Cheryl Perez 5-2, Jeri Bouvette 5-0, Sue Roberts 5-2, Jessica Barnes 5-3 and taking the win 5-2 over McCormick. McCormick, who hasn’t played on the Tour since February defeated SAndy Change 5-1, Stephanie Mitchell 5-4, Marlene Houldsworth 5-1, Amy Poulter 5-2, and Julia Spinella 5-0 before losing to Seaver. 

 

Seaver’s win also locked up the TFT 2015 Regional Tour Champion title, for the third time since the Tour’s inception in 2009, not including one tie with McCormick for the top spot. 

 

McCormick’s second place finish earned her the paid Qualifier spot for the WPBA Masters at Soaring Eagle in February 2016.  

 

A huge thanks to all of the players and spectators who devoted their time and money to  support this event, including those players who  brought friends to play for the first time. The monies raised benefit the South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. A big shout out to Amy Poulter, owner of Amy's Billiards, for being a great hostess of another great event! Thanks to those who donated prizes for the raffle and helped out with the fundraising: Janis Sessions, Amy Poulter, Hunter Lombardo, Tommy Kennedy, Dianna Sullivan, Tony Martz, Ted Harris Cues, Ulterior Chalkers and the South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. As always, thank you to Tiger Products, our title sponsor; Ozone Billiards, Discount Mugs, Simonis Cloth, Boynton Billiards and Great Lakes Billiards for their year-long support of our tour. Kudos to Jerry Sotelo for his patience and hard work for another great year as the Tournament Director.

April Wallen moved to the top of the Flamingo Tour rankings with a come-from-the-loss-side victory on Saturday, April 12. The $500-added event drew 27 entrants to Amy's Billiards in Stuart, FL.

 

The Flamingo Tour operates a modified double elimination format, in which players initially compete in a double elimination bracket, until there are four left on each side. At that point, the remaining eight players are seeded and play single elimination quarterfinal, semifinal and final matches.

 

Both Wallen and her finals opponent, Crystal McCormick, were in the group of four loss-side competitors, and both, after being awarded an opening round bye, had been sent to the loss side in their first round of play. Wallen had initially been defeated by Roe Guarnero 7-4, and then, on the loss side, chalked up victories over Toni Curry and Helene Caukin, both 5-1. Curry is a tour newcomer who will compete in the Billiards Education Foundation's 9-Ball Nationals in June. Wallen moved among the event's final eight with a 5-2 win over Vanessa Seaver.

 

McCormick lost a double hill battle versus Kelly Cavanaugh in her opening round of play, and then, went on something of a feast-or-famine, loss-side run. She won her first match, double hill, over Stephanie Mitchell (who came into the event as the tour's top-ranked player) and then shut out Kristie Cloke. Her double hill win over Guarnero put her among the losers' side final four. These two were joined by room owner Amy Poulter and Maridana "Mike" Fitzgerald.

 

In the meantime, Kellys Coyle and Cavanaugh, along with Jeannie Seaver and Sue Roberts advanced to be the final four on the winners' side. The quarterfinal matches set Coyle up to face Poulter, Cavanaugh met McCormick, Seaver faced Fitzgerald and Wallen squared off against Roberts.

 

Coyle and Poulter played the most hotly contested quarterfinal match, going double hill, before Coyle prevailed. Mike Fitzgerald defeated Seaver 7-4, and McCormick downed Cavanaugh 7-2, while Wallen advanced to the semifinals with a shutout over Roberts. Wallen's next match wasn't as easy. She and Fitzgerald fought to double hill, before a Fitzgerald scratch with two balls on the table, allowed Wallen to clear and advance to the finals. She was met by McCormick, who'd eliminated Coyle 7-2. April completed her run with a 7-5 victory over McCormick, to claim the event title and the top spot in the current tour rankings.

 

Tour director Mimi McAndrews thanked room owner Amy Poulter and her staff, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Simonis Cloth Satellite Tour, and Boynton Billiards.

In 1978, a college junior by the name of Maridana "Mike" Heydon won the Women's division of the American College Union International's annual pool tournament in Lincoln City, Oregon. About a year after college, Maridana Heydon quit the sport, "cold turkey," as she described it, to pursue a career and a family. On the weekend of March 8-9, 36 years later, at a $500-added stop on the Flamingo Tour, hosted by Wally's in Lakeland, FL, the former college champion re-emerged and as Maridana Fitzgerald, went undefeated through a field of 37 entrants.

 

Fitzgerald's path through the field went through Jennifer Page, Erikka Piersall and Crystal McCormack to move among the final four winners, who advanced to the tournament's single elimination phase, entailing four quarterfinal matches, two semifinals and a final. Her victory over McCormack to make the cut was the first of three straight double hill matches that would eventually move her into the winners' circle. 

 

Her finals opponent, Stephanie Mitchell, had defeated Echo Pinkley, Desiree Haliburton, Chris Fields and April Wallen to make the cut. Also advancing on the winners' side were Cassidy Mulligan and Jessica Barnes. Moving into the quarterfinal matches from the losers' bracket were Angela Ger, Vanessa Seaver, Wallen and Sue Roberts.

 

Fitzgerald drew Wallen, Mitchell faced Seaver, Mulligan had to contend with Ger and Barnes met Roberts. Mulligan shut Ger out to advance to the semifinals, while Mitchell and Roberts advanced with 7-5 victories over Seaver and Barnes. Fitzgerald survived her first of three straight double hill matches, over Wallen.

 

Both semifinal matches were double hill affairs, and both hinged on last minute mistakes. Mulligan gave Mitchell ball in hand, shooting at the 9-ball in the deciding game. Roberts had been up on Fitzgerald 6-3, but Fitzgerald fought back to tie it at 6-6. In the final rack, Roberts got a look at the 9-ball, but rattled it in the hole, essentially handing the semifinal victory to Fitzgerald.

 

"I thought the thing was over," said Fitzgerald later, but it wasn't and she advanced to the finals.

 

The final match also featured a costly error. Fitzgerald and Mitchell fought back and forth to yet another double hill juncture, at which point, Mitchell scratched, shooting at the 1-ball in the deciding rack. Fitzgerald ran the table to complete her undefeated run and claim the event title.

 

"It was not an easy runout," said tour director Mimi McAndrews of that final rack. "She worked for it."

 

For Fitzgerald's part, she was glad to be back at the tables, after being away for so many years. And aware, she said, of a higher level of talent than she remembered from her college years.

 

"I was very impressed with the quality of play at the tournament," she said. "There were some great players, and I was thrilled that I won."

 

Tour director Mimi McAndrews thanked room owner Jim Thomas and his staff, as well as sponsors Boynton Billiards, Ozone Billiards, and the Simonis Cloth Satellite Tour. 

Dana Aft, rebounding from a stunning, double-dip defeat at the hands of Brittany Bryant in the Music City Open (January 17-19), traveled to a warmer climate and went undefeated in the season opener of the Flamingo Billiards Tour; a $250-added event that drew 39 entrants to Cunningham's Pool and Darts in Vero Beach, FL on Saturday, January 25.

 

"It was the largest attendance we've ever had for a regular event," said Tour Director Mimi McAndrews. "Normally, we'll draw about 32, with the exception of our annual breast cancer fund-raiser (Cues for the Cure), which drew 50 last year."

 

The modified, double elimination event saw the 39 entrants play a straight, double elimination format until only four players were left on each side of the bracket. From there, the remaining eight players squared off in single elimination quarterfinal, semifinal and final matches. The player mix, according to McAndrews, was a combination of tour veterans and newcomers; Aft, a 2013 Amateur Women's champion, was, technically, a newcomer to the Flamingo Billiards Tour.

 

The winners' side final four was evenly divided; Aft and April Wallen, who were playing on the tour for the first time, advanced, along with Jeannie Seaver and Angela Ger. Joining the final eight from the one-loss side were Kelly Cavanaugh, Kelly Coyle, Sue Roberts and Valerie Dukich (new to the tour). 

 

Aft was matched up against Roberts, whom she'd sent to the loss side 7-4 during the double elimination phase of the tournament. Wallen played Coyle, Seaver met Dukich, and Ger met up with Cavanaugh.

 

With echoes of Music City no doubt reverberating in her, Aft watched Roberts take a 4-1 lead in their quarterfinal re-match, before she responded with a six-pack that moved her into the semifinals. Wallen downed Coyle 7-1, Seaver defeated Dukich 7-3 and Ger got by Cavanaugh 7-4.

 

In the semifinals, Wallen defeated Seaver 7-5, as Aft picked up her pace a bit and eliminated Ger 7-1. So it was, that the two tour newcomers, Aft and Wallen, met up in the finals. Aft took the final set 7-3 to claim the first 2014 Flamingo Billiards Tour title.

 

Mimi McAndrews thanked Chris Devila and his staff at Cunningham's, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Simonis Cloth Satellite Tour, Boynton Billiards, and Martz Cues. 

 

The next stop on the six, possibly, seven-stop tour is scheduled for March 8. The $250-added event will be hosted by Wally's in Lakeland, FL. The tour is scheduled through October and will conclude with the 6th Annual Cues for the Cure event.

Boynton Beach, Fla. – Not to be deterred after getting knocked out early at last month’s event, Jeannie Seaver came to win the Flamingo Billiards Tour Stop #5 on Saturday. Thirty-two players filled the board at Slate Billiards in Boynton Beach, Florida, including Amy Poulter, who has been absent from the tour for more than a year.  But Poulter, room owner of Amy’s Billiards in Stuart, Florida, was back in great form, finishing second only to Seaver. 

 

Her path to the finals was challenging after sending Kathleen Lawless west in a double hill match, then losing a close match to newcomer Kelly Errair. Poulter got past Crystal McCormick in another double hill match, the ended the day for Jennifer Page, and then matched up again with Kelly Errair in the final board, winning 7-1.  Seaver swept past Tour Director Mimi McAndrews, sister Vanessa Seaver, took the edge in a double hill match with Cassidy Mulligan and then won over Sue Roberts to get to the finals.

 

The format is a modified-double elimination playing down to four on each side. The four players on the one-loss side draw into the winners bracket and it is single elimination from that point.  Also making it to the final board of eight was Jessica Barnes, Jennifer Page, Sue Roberts, Cassidy Mulligan, Vanessa Seaver and new player Kelly Errair.

 

When the former APA Amateur Champion, Amy Chen, got underway on Saturday, July 13 at a  stop on the Flamingo Tour, it looked as though it was going to be a short day for her. She faced Jeannie Seaver and failed to score a single rack. She came back on the loss side to win three in a row, and then, after a redraw, won three more to claim the event title. The $250-added event drew 27 entrants to Wally's Pool Hall in Lakeland, FL.

 

The Flamingo Tour uses a double elimination format until there are four left on each side of the bracket. In the last of the double elimination matches on the winners' side, Vanessa Seaver defeated Darlene Petrovit 7-1, Cassidy Mulligan downed Sue Roberts 7-2, while Robin Boggs and Jeannie Seaver (Vanessa's sister) sent Samantha Kikuchi and Crystal McCormick west, double hill.

 

On the loss side, Chen, after an initial bye, had gone on to defeat Cassandra Harmon and Shanelle Loraine, by a combined score of 10-1 (Harmon, winning the single rack). This set Chen up for a match against Kikuchi. Petrovit picked up Lawless, Roberts drew Jessica Barnes, and McCormick faced Chris Fields. Lawless and Chen survived double hill matches against Petrovit, and Kikuchi (who was appearing on the Flamingo Tour for the first time). McCormick downed Fields 5-3, and Barnes eliminated Roberts 5-2. 

 

With a redraw at this point, the quarterfinal matches were set; Vanessa Seaver played against Lawless, Chen took on Mulligan, Jeannie Seaver faced McCormick, and Barnes squared off against Boggs. Chen  and Lawless went double hill, before prevailing over Mulligan and Vanessa Seaver, while Jeannie Seaver defeated McCormick 7-4 and Barnes ended Boggs' day 7-3.

 

Chen won her third straight double hill match (this time, against Lawless) and earned her spot in the finals. She was joined by Barnes, who'd survived a double hill match against Jeannie Seaver.

 

Chen's return to form reached its peak in the finals, when she didn't give up a single rack against Barnes.

 

"When she (Chen) got into the quarterfinals, she really got into gear," said tour director Mimi McAndrews. "In the finals, Jessica was missing shots, and Amy was just in that gear."

 

McAndrews thanked the ownership and staff at Wally's (owner, Jim and manager, Larry), as well as staffers, Letha Needham and Erikka Halbert, who was also the recipient of a $50 prize for being the highest finisher from the host location, which entered some women into the tournament that had never played on the tour before. McAndrews also thanked sponsors Martz Cues, Boynton Billiards, and Z9 Billiard Cloth.

Boynton Beach, FL  (June 23, 2012) – There was not a more appropriate day for the third 2012 Flamingo Billiards Tour stop at Slate Billiards in Boynton Beach, Florida, than National Pink Flamingo Day! Sixteen players braved the wind and rain from tropical storm Debby to compete in the modified-double elimination format, playing down to the final four.  Two from each side redrew into a single elimination bracket. 

The first player to make it to the final four-board was Shanelle Loraine. Loraine made her way there defeating Kelly Coyle, Tour Director Mimi McAndrews, and Kelly Cavanaugh. Crystal McCormick was the second player on the final four- board, winning over Debbie Barkley, new player Juliette Waiter, and then sending Jeannie Seaver west in a much anticipated match up.  Seaver, who did not have her usual game on Saturday, came back after being down 6 -2, winning three games in a row making it 6-5. Just when it looked as if Seaver would get to the hill, a missed shot left McCormick out.

Kelly Cavanaugh, fresh off her first professional event at the WPBA US Open, was the third player to make it to the final four. Cavanaugh sent Cassidy Mulligan and Alicia DeAbreu to the west before losing to Shanelle Loraine.  Cavanaugh stayed in the event with a tough hill-hill battle against Sue Roberts. Roberts, who earlier sent Jennifer Page west, followed Page west courtesy of Seaver. Roberts then knocked out Cassidy Mulligan, to battle it out with Cavanaugh. On the hill, Roberts, with ball in hand and the 8-ball on the rail, over cut the 8-ball trying to get shape on the 9. That miss allowed Cavanaugh to take the game and the third spot on the final four-board.  

The last spot on the final four was filled by Seaver.  After defeating Robin Boggs and Sue Roberts, and then losing to McCormick, Seaver matched up again with Boggs.  Missing a crucial 9-ball that would have put Boggs on the hill, Seaver pocketed the 9 and took the last place on the final four board.

In the redraw Cavanaugh squared off against McCormick, who had been playing almost flawlessly all day. Seaver drew Loraine.  Both McCormick and Seaver won handily and advanced to the finals. Although Seaver’s game was off, and she had earlier lost to McCormick, McCormick couldn’t keep the momentum going and wasn’t able to take advantage of Seaver’s missed shots. Seaver went on to win the match and the third Flamingo Billiards Tour stop.

Many thanks to room owners Mike Bradford and Joe Sistarelli at Slate Billiards (www.slatebilliards.com), for being great hosts, and to Boynton Billiards for their continued support of the FBT.

The Flamingo Billiards Tour is a WPBA-recognized Regional Tour, and is a stepping stone to the Women’s Professional Billiard Association for women who want to play professionally.

The next stop is August 25, 2012, location to be announced. For more information, visit http://www.flamingobilliardstour.com/.

West Palm Beach, FL (June 9, 2012) – Jennifer Page and Debbie Barkley made it through the round robin format to the finals of the second FBT Mini-Tour event of 2012, held at Grover’s Billiards in West Palm Beach, Florida on Saturday, June 9, 2012.  In this handicapped event, the players played each player a set of 3 games, one 8-ball and two 9-ball.

Robin Boggs and Sue Roberts played strong, as did Alicia DeAbreau and Susan Martin.  The games were played on bar boxes, and the scores were very close.  Page and Barkley ended up with 11 games each. The final match was a race to five, with the winner of the lag picking the race or the game, 8-ball or 9-ball.  The match started with 8-ball, and Barkley took the lead 2-1. However, Page came back and took the lead in 9-ball.  But for Barkley’s scratch on the 8-ball it likely would have been a hill-hill match, but Page won the next game and the match.  In addition to cash, Page wins a paid entry to the Flamingo Billiard Tour stop at Slate Billiards in Boynton Beach, Florida on June 23, 2012.

Many thanks to Grover’s room owner Jason Jenkins for supporting the Flamingo Billiards Mini-Tour, and thanks to all the players who came out to play.