Shuffett Celebrates Southern GSBT Victory
Great Southern Billiard Tour / Greenville, SC
by Joshua Johnson, Inside POOL
Fourteen-year-old Landon Shuffett moved through a field of 55 players to take home the $1,000 first-place prize and crystal trophy in the Great Southern Billiard Tour’s return to Greenville, SC. Shuffett, rated an A player in the GSTB’s A-B amateur system, defeated B-rated Chase Smith 9-2 in the first set of the true double-elimination finals, having moved through the field undefeated.
The finals were a replay of the hot-seat match, which saw Shuffett display solid nerves to complete a difficult run-out at hill-hill to move into the finals. However, the finals were a different story. After gifting the second rack to Smith, Shuffett ensured that there would be no second race as he bore down and showed the form that has taken him to multiple Junior National titles to win the set. On his way to the finals Shuffett defeated Brian Turner 9-6, Antonio Tovar 9-3, Brad Shearer 9-5, Adam Clark 9-1, Craig McPartlin 9-3, and Chase Smith 9-6 to claim his first victory on the GSBT.
Smith made his way to the finals with one loss in the shortest way possible, giving up the hot seat match to the wunderkind. This second-place finish represents his best finish on the GSBT so far. His tournament path went through Matt Holiday 7-4, Marty White 7-2, Steve Cox 7-5, Tony Williams 7-5, and Ray Benish 7-4. After his loss to Shuffett 9-6, he defeated Craig McPartlin 7-3 to earn the rematch with Shuffett. McPartlin moved through the tournament undefeated until meeting Shuffett in the semifinals of the winners’ bracket, where he was bumped to the one-loss side. He went on to defeat Brian Turner 9-2 and Kenny Wilson 9-6 before falling to Smith.
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Great Southern Billiard Tour Brackets – The Palace in Greenville, SC
Fourteen-year-old Landon Shuffett moved through a field of 55 players to take home the $1,000 first-place prize and crystal trophy in the Great Southern Billiard Tour’s return to Greenville, SC.
Results:
1st Landon Shuffett $1,000
2nd Chase Smith $500
3rd Craig McPartlin $350
4th Kenny Wilson $200
5th Brian Turner $125
Ray Benish
7th Adam Clark $75
Tony Williams
9th Mike Basha $50
Matt Mancini
Roger Jeffcoat
Joe Watson