Monk Massacres Inaugural Flamingo Billiards Field
Flamingo Billiards Tour / Fort Pierce, FL
by Lea Andrews
It was a day of firsts August 15 in Fort Pierce, FL, as Michell Monk scored her first win on a WPBA regional tour event, which happened to be the inaugural Flamingo Billiards Tour stop. Monk joined 21 other ladies at Ultimate Billiards for the $500-added event, a qualifier for WPBA’s Colorado Classic.
Monk started the day off strong with wins over Crystal McCormick 7-3, tour director Mimi McAndrews 7-1, and Mary Pendleton-Brown 7-6 to secure her spot in the redraw for the final 8 on the winners’ side, where the format went to single elimination. Leslee Davis-Blaikie also arrived undefeated having sent Stephanie Mitchell west 7-3, as did Stacy Lantz with her 7-4 win over Tracy McCreary, and Jeannie Seaver with her 7-5 victory over Amy Poulter.
On the left side of the bracket, the once-fallen ladies were fighting to make it into the redraw, where everyone would be equal. Niki Rasmussen earned her place by holding Pendleton-Brown to four games, while Kelly Coyle and Helene Caukin held Poulter and McCreary to three, respectively. The final spot went to Mitchell after she blew past Diana Minor 7-1.
The redraw resulted in two tighter matches and two blow-outs, as Mitchell ousted Rasmussen 7-5 and Coyle fell hill-hill to Davis-Blaikie, while Caukin allowed Seaver only one game and Monk dealt Lantz her only loss in the form of a shut-out. The final four ladies all wanted that spot in the finals, and they showed it by pushing hard in both semifinal matches, with Mitchell coming up short 7-5 against Caukin, and Davis-Blaikie one game shy against Monk 7-6.
It was a day of firsts August 15 in Fort Pierce, FL, as Michell Monk scored her first win on a WPBA regional tour event, which happened to be the inaugural Flamingo Billiards Tour stop.
In the finals, Caukin notched up the first game, but Monk came back with five in a row to make it 5-1. The stage was set to go 6-1, but Monk’s jawed 7 ball left Caukin out and put the score at 5-2, and a quick 9 on the break made it 5-3. Rack 9 started off as a safety battle, which Caukin ended with a fantastic kick on the 2 ball. She was left with a tough cut on the 3 ball, and though she was up to the challenge, the next ball didn’t drop for her, and Monk ran out to get on the hill. Her stay there was short, as Caukin missed a tough shot on the 3 ball in the final rack, leaving on the table a 3-9 combination, which Monk knocked in to earn first place money, the qualifier spot, and a Sniper jump/break cue provided by tour sponsor Tony “The Sniper” Crosby.
Results:
1st Michell Monk $450 + qualifier
2nd Helene Caukin $300
3rd Stephanie Mitchell $200
Leslee Davis-Blaikie
5th Stacy Lantz $110
Kelly Coyle
Jeannie Seaver
Niki Rasmussen