Great Southern Billiard Tour Championship Underway

Great Southern Billiard Tour Championship Underway
By Michael Basha
The Diamond Billiard Club is playing host to Shannon Daulton’s Great Southern Billiard Tour Championship January 24-27 in Chattanooga, TN. This race-to-11, double-elimination event guaranteed $10,000 added with a field of 64, and with 78 players it’s well above the mark.
Among the participants going for the gold are Johnny Archer, recent Music City Open winner Shane Van Boening, Gabe Owen, Alex Pagulayan, Ronnie Wiseman, Louis Ulrich, Jonathan Pinegar, Sparky Ferrell, Cliff Joyner, multiple GSBT event winner Larry Nevel, Music City Open runner-up Tommy D’Alfonso, and 1995 world bar table champion Steve Moore. The women’s contingent is well-represented in the competition by WPBA touring pros Monica Webb and Helena Thornfeldt.
In addition to the main bar table 9-ball competition there will be a $1,000-dollar entry fee 9-ball bank ring game Friday night and a $1,000 dollar entry 10-ball ring game Saturday night, both of which are to be played out on a 4 ½ by 9 Diamond Pro.
While the main event was slow to get off the ground tonight on account of a lengthy player auction, there are some tough early draws to be fought out tomorrow, including the anticipated match-ups of Steve Moore and young gun Tommy D’Alfonso, Monica Webb vs. Jesse Middlebrooke, and Billy Bailey vs. Ronnie Wiseman.
A majority of the players received a bye into Friday’s rounds and are still awaiting their opposition. Play begins at 11 a.m. Friday morning and will continue through to 8 p.m.