WPBA Midwest Classic Underway
The Women’s Professional Billiards Association’s Mueller Recreational Products Midwest Classic, being held Aug. 3-7 at the Par-a-Dice Hotel and Casino in East Peoria, Ill., has completed several rounds of play going into Friday evening’s matches.
There have been few notable upsets in either the winners’ or losers’ brackets, with the exception of BD contributing writer Sueyen Rhee, who beat Melissa Herndon, 8-6, to reach the third round of the winners’ bracket, where she plays 8th-ranked Julie Kelly later today.
Lee Pulls Out of World Games
Back problems and impending surgery have forced Jeanette Lee to pull out of the 2005 World Games, which begin later this month in Duisburg, Germany. Lee, currently ranked No. 4 on the Women’s Professional Billiard Association Classic Tour, suffers from scoliosis and has endured numerous surgeries over the years.
Lee is scheduled for surgery in Indianapolis on Aug. 11, and had hoped to defend her World Games title. Lee won the 9-ball championship at the 2001 World Games in Akita, Japan. It marked pool’s first appearance in the World Games, which is a quadrennial international sports festival for International Olympic Committee members whose sports are not represented in the Olympic Games.
“The pain has just gotten too severe,” said Tom George of Octagon, Lee’s agent. “She really wanted to defend her World Games title, but she just can’t play through the pain.”
According to George, Lee will also skip the WPBA’s August Classic Tour stop in Peoria, Ill., and will not likely return to action before 2006.
According to BCA executive director Steve Ducoff, given the late date of Lee’s withdrawal it is unlikely that the World Games will accept a replacement player from the U.S.
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.
Fisher – No, Not That One – Takes WPBA Title
Snooker-champ-turned-9-ball-pro Kelly Fisher won the Women’s Professional Billiard Association’s Mueller Recreational Products West Coast Classic at Viejas Casino in Alpine, Calif., Mar. 30-Apr. 3. The outcome was a shocker. It was Kelly Fisher’s first pro 9-ball title, and she was joined in the television rounds by Gerda Hofstatter (who took second), Vivian Villarreal (third) and Karen Corr (fourth place).
What was most surprising, however, was who did not make the TV rounds. Super-dominant top-ranked Allison Fisher (no relation) was relegated to tie-for-fifth, after being knocked into the one-loss bracket by Hofstatter and then eliminated by Corr. Kelly Fisher took home $10,000 for her win; Hofstatter settled for $7,000.
Allison Fisher Locks Up First and Throws Away The Key
Allison Fisher continued her domination of the Women’s Professional Billiards Association’s Classic tour at the Mueller Recreational Products Great Lakes Classic in Michigan City, Ind., March 2-6.
While Fisher’s continuing reign at the top of the rankings is far from unexpected, other pros made waves at the Great Lakes, too. Most notable was Fisher’s final-match opponent, Tiffany Nelson, who’s last trip to the television rounds was in 1994, when Nelson was just 14 years old.
Nelson defeated Texas tornado Vivian Villarreal in a television round in order to get to the final. In the final, Nelson played well and looked cool and unflustered under the lights, but she couldn’t get a look at the 1 ball after her breaks in the alternate-break format. The result was a 7-1 win for Fisher.
Fisher collected $10,000 for first prize, while Nelson settled for $7,000. Villarreal took home $5,500 for third place, and snooker import Kelly Fisher collected $4,500 for a fourth-place finish.
Duchess Continues Her Reign in Carolina
“Duchess of Doom” Allison Fisher won the season-opening Women’s Professional Billiards Association’s Carolina Classic, defeating Helena Thornfeldt, 7-4, in the final to collect the $10,000 prize.
This is the tour’s first visit to the community of Rocky Mount, N.C., where the event was held, Feb. 9-13, at Nash Community College. The town responded with enthusiastic, sold-out crowds. After her win, Fisher (who lives just outside of Charlotte, N.C.) commented, “I hope we’ll be back next year, especially as it’s home turf for me. I haven’t quite picked up the accent yet, as you can tell, but I’m working on it. This is a very good way to start my year.”
Karen Corr took third and Monica Webb came in fourth place.