WPC Knows No Favorites as Big Names Fall
As round-robin play at the World Pool Championship draws to a close, some big names are arranging for flights out of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Top performers like Mosconi Cup veterans Ralf Souquet (Germany) and Charlie Williams (USA) are packing their bags, and Steve Davis (England) and Filipino legend Efren Reyes are hanging on by a mathematical thread.
The ranks of the undefeated include Johnny Archer (USA), the Philippines’ Marlon Manalo, Taiwanese hopes Po-cheng Kuo and Che-wei Fu, Japan’s Satoshi Kawabata and Scottish challenger Michael Valentine.
There’s one more day to go in the round-robin stage, which pares the 128-man field to 64 players, who then will brave the single-elimination stage.
World Pool Championships Underway
The round-robin stages of the 2005 World Pool Championship are under way in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and a few big names in the 128-player field are already in danger of missing the cut. Ralf Souquet, Steve Davis and Efren Reyes have already lost three times each, and will need sparkling records from now on to proceed into the knockout stage, featuring the top half of the field.
Corr Recovers to Capture Southeast Classic Crown
After losing in the second round of the WPBA’s Southeast Classic, Karen Corr went on a tear that landed her in the final match against rising star Ga Young Kim. After trading blows with Kim to 4-4, Corr reeled off three straight games to win her first classic Tour event of the 2005 season, 7-4.
Going into Sunday’s final three matches at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., the marquee matchup appeared to be the first tilt pitting WPBA No. 2 Corr against No. 1 Allison Fisher, who likewise lost in the second round. But Fisher woke up Sunday morning with muscle spasms on the left side of her neck that severely limited her mobility around the table, forcing her to consider forfeiting against Corr. Fisher, always a gamer, ultimately decided to play on, improvising during much of the early games by shooting left-handed or with a bridge. By the time her body loosened up, the score was already 6-2 in Corr’s favor. The Irish Invader went on to win, 7-3.
Corr then faced WPBA No. 6 Monica Webb, who had yet to finish higher than 3rd in a Classic Tour event. The always-consistent Webb continued that streak, falling 7-4 to Corr after scratching in the 10th game, and then watching Corr break and run out in the final frame.
The last match was the third finals meeting between Corr and Kim, with each having won a U.S. Open title at the other’s expense. By this point in the day, Corr was in dead stroke, while Kim came out shooting a bit carelessly and blew some chances to take a decisive advantage. After battling back from a 4-2 deficit to tie the match at 4-all, Kim fell victim to Corr’s clever safety play in game 9, and then fell out of line in game 10 to hand the keys to victory to her opponent. A break-and-run in game 11 sealed Corr’s win.
Kim and Corr Face Off in Florida
The final match has been set for the WPBA Southeast Classic at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Karen Corr, currently ranked second on the Classic Tour, will face reigning world champion Ga Young Kim.
Coming through the one-loss side, Corr bested top-ranked Allison Fisher, 7-3, and advanced to face Monica Webb. Corr had a similarly decisive victory over Webb, beating her 7-4 to earn her spot in the final against Kim.
Kim takes Florida hot-seat
The TV Matches are now set for the WPBA Southeast Classic at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Florida.
In the hot seat sits reigning world champion Ga Young Kim, who defeated Monica Webb 9-6 on Saturday.
Webb, will await the winner between #1 ranked Allison Fisher and #2 ranked Karen Corr in the first match on Sunday. Karen Corr defeated Jeanette Lee 9-3 on Saturday night, while Allison Fisher defeated Kelly Fisher 9-6.
Buddy Hall Wins Hard Times Summer Jamboree One-Pocket Title
Buddy Hall won the One-Pocket division at the Hard Times Summer Jamboree, June 16, at Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, Calif. Hall went to the one-loss side at the hands of Billy Palmer, but then fought his way through the likes of Greg Sullivan and Tony Chohan, among others. Hall faced Jose Parica in the race-to-5 final; The Rifleman won, 5-1, and collected $3,000.
The Hard Times event goes from June 14-19, and also features a $10,000-added 9-ball division, which concludes on Sunday. For more information and complete brackets, check www.azbilliards.com.
Manalo Hits His Stride in Reno
Filipino player Marlon Manalo went undefeated to win the Sands Regency Reno Open, June 3-12, in Reno, Nev. The win comes on the heels of his unexpected tie-for-fifth finish at the BCA Open 9-Ball Championships in May.
Manalo beat countryman Santos Sambajon Jr., 9-8, and advanced to vie for the hotseat against Shawn Putname, winning 9-7. On the one-loss side, Tony Chohan beat Putnam, 9-8, to advance to the final.
In the final, Chohan took a 6-2 lead, but then let victory slip through his fingers. Manalo won, 9-6, and collected $12,000 for top prize. Chohan earned $5,400 for second place.
Archer Regains His Place With Florida Open Win
After unexpectedly taking a 7-0 drubbing from Thorsten Hohmann in the final of the BCA Pro 9-Ball Open last week, No. 1 ranked Johnny Archer got back into the groove with a title win at the 5th Annual Predator Florida Open, at Bankshot Billiards in Jacksonville, Fla., May 25-29.
Archer bested Mike Davis, 10-5, to take the hot seat. While Archer waited, Davis took on Hohmann in the one-loss bracket and beat him, 10-9. In the final rematch, Davis put up a fight, but in the end, Archer triumped, 11-8, for the $10,000 win.
Davis accepted $5,000 for second, and Hohmann took home $3,200 in third place, followed by Ralf Souquet, who collected $2,400 for a fourth place finish.
New President for Brunswick
Brunswick Billiards has announced that Sean Cummings has been named Presdient of Brunswick Billiards. Cummings succeeds former Billiard Congress of America President John Stransky in the position. Stransky left the position, and the BCA presidency, when he was promoted to President of Brunswick Bowling and Billiards.
In his new post, Cummings will oversee the management of Brunswick Billiards and Valley-Dynamo. Cummings most recently was Managing Director of Teignbridge Propellers Ltd., a division of Mercury Marine (itself a division of Brunswick Corporation) in England. He has been employed by Brunswick Corporation in various roles for nine years. He earned an MBA degree from Northwestern and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.