Shaw Shows the Ladies How It’s Done
J. Pechauer Carolina Ladies’ Tour / Charlotte, NC
by Lea Andrews
Paradise Billiards in Charlotte, NC, hosted the $500-added sixth event of the inaugural season of the J. Pechauer Carolina Ladies Tour on May 30-31. Out of the field of 18, which included WPBA players Val Finnie, “Jumping” Janet Atwell, Belinda “The Texas Belle” Calhoun, tour newcomer Kim “The Cooler” Shaw came out on top to claim the top prize of $580.
Paradise Billiards in Charlotte, NC, hosted the $500-added sixth event of the inaugural season of the J. Pechauer Carolina Ladies Tour on May 30-31.
There were some surprising early exits on Saturday, including the elimination of Rachel Eliazar and local favorite Katie Cowan, who had won two of the previous five events. Cowan, after a hill-hill loss to Atwell, fell to Buffy Jolie 5-3. On Saturday night, the winners’ side final four featured three of the four pro players in the event as Finnie, who had already sent Calhoun left with a score of 7-5, met strong amateur player Karen Webb, putting her on the one-loss side with a score of 7-2, while Atwell met a sharp-shooting Shaw, who sent her west with a score of 7-5. Shaw then went on to claim the hot seat on Sunday afternoon, holding Finnie to five games.
On the one-loss side Sunday, Calhoun, who had just bested tournament director Alicia Putnam, edged out Atwell 5-4, while Jolie followed up a strong 5-1 win over Erin Watts with a 5-2 win over Webb. Calhoun then rode a 5-2 win over Jolie to a 5-2 win over Finnie, leaving Finnie in third place, while Calhoun earned a spot in the true double-elimination finals.
Shaw outlasted several fellow WPBA pros to take the Carolina Ladies event at Paradise Billiards.
There was no need for the second set, though, as Shaw took an early lead and didn’t let it go. Although Calhoun started off down 4-0, she managed to get within two games of Shaw, putting the score at 5-3 with some strong runs, but she couldn’t get mark up anymore as Shaw, with the same poise and control she’d displayed all weekend, closed out the win at 7-3 to go undefeated in her first Carolina Ladies’ Tour event.
Results:
1st Kim Shaw $580
2nd Belinda Calhoun $290
3rd Val Finnie $160
4th Buffy Jolie $90