Morris Rockets to Winner’s Circle

by Rick Davis
The final day of play at the Seminole Pro Tour ended with billiard player “Rocket” Rodney Morris going undefeated and taking down the $11,000 top prize at the Hollywood Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL.
The day started with Mika Immonen and Louis Ulrich in the quarterfinals, which stayed even through a 3-all score. From there Immonen caught a gear and ran three racks for a 6-3 lead. After trading the next few racks Ulrich scratched on the break, leaving Immonen to run out from the hill and claim the match 8-5.
Over to the winners’ side the hot seat match featured Corey Deuel and Morris in a safety showdown nearly every rack. Morris was able to adjust and capitalize on his chances faster, and before long he sent Deuel west 8-5.
Immonen started with a great lead up 4-2 against Deuel in the semifinals. After a smattering of scratches, safeties, and misses from both players, the score was tied at 5-all. Deuel took that as his cue to wake up and broke and ran the next two racks to reach the hill. Hammering the nail into his own coffin, Immonen came up short on a safety, which allowed Deuel to run out and take the match.
View the Seminole Florida Pro Tour Finale image gallery (/gallery2/v/Pool+Tournaments/FLProFinale/)
In the finals Morris shot out to an early 4-0 lead before he traded racks with Deuel to reach the hill 8-4 in the single race to 9 finals. Deuel managed to play defense and make a few runs to keep in the game and finally got within a rack with the score 7-8. But in the last rack Deuel rattled the 9 ball in the corner for what should have been an automatic shot. After the shock wore off he shook his head and went to shake Morris’ hand, conceding the match with the 9 and 10 balls hanging in opposite corners. A happy and relieved Morris said, “I made a mistake or two, and he was playing good. I was trying not to give it away at the end. I thought the pool gods must smile on you sometimes. When it’s your chance you have to earn it. There are no gifts, even though it looks that way sometimes.”

Four Players Remain at Florida billiard Tour Finale

by Rick Davis
The Florida Pro Tour’s Second Annual Steve Mizerak Championship coasted through day two today as the remaining 32-player field was cut down to the top four.
Player of the Year Corey Deuel is in the hot seat match Sunday, where he faces Rodney Morris. Deuel defeated Dennis Hatch double-hill and Ronnie Wiseman 8-3 during day two, while Morris sent Gabe Owen and Thorsten Hohmann west 8-4 and 8-7, respectively. Deuel and Morris will face off in the final day of the event.
On the one-loss side Louis Ulrich was on fire. Ulrich eliminated Mike Davis 8-1 then Gabe Owen 8-6. Later in the evening he kept things interesting as he knocked out two more players, James Laderia and Wiseman, to reach the quarterfinals in day three. Meeting Ulrich in that match will be Mika Immonen, who sent his share of pros home from the event as well. Starting with Charlie Bryant 7-2, Immonen swept through the money rounds, eliminating Helena Thornfeldt 8-2, Tony Crosby 8-5, Johnny Archer 8-1, and Thorsten Hohmann 8-1. Immonen commented, “It seemed like when I didn’t make a ball, he didn’t have a shot, and when I made one, I had a good layout. I have played good the whole tournament, I played a lot of matches today and just relaxed and had a fun day. The key was to get comfortable with the tables.”
Most of the players didn’t share Immonen’s relaxed posture, and many were unhappy with the tables. After his final match Morris commented, “The tables play tough. The rails are springy—it’s hard to control the cue ball and the pockets are tight and wet. Every time you play on Diamonds you have to adjust … it’s the only table you have to do that to. You see more balls missed on these tables on then any other.” Many players relied heavily on their jump cues, as intricate kick shots could not be trusted.
View the Seminole Florida Pro Tour Finale image gallery (/gallery2/v/Pool+Tournaments/FLProFinale/)
Sunday will feature the final day of play, which holds the top four players and four big matches. While fourth place is guaranteed $3,500, no one wants to settle for that when the big $11,000 payout is still glittering in front of them.
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Stacked billiards Field Grinds Through the First Day
Seminole Pro Tour / Hollywood, FL

by Rick Davis
The Seminole Florida Pro Tour began their billiards season finale at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL, where an 88-player field entered in search of their share of the $25,000-added prize fund.
After a blazing pace the first day eliminated all but 32 players. The final rounds were a who’s who of top national players, and the coming rounds will be just as difficult. The tour’s player of the year, Corey Deuel, is untouched on the winners’ side after taking a trio of wins going 7-1 against Adam Wheeler and Wayne Catledge then 8-6 against Mike Davis. Not far away, Gabe Owen kept himself on the winners’ side, saying, “I’ve had a good day, but it was long,” after putting in 12 hours on the tables.
On the one-loss side, player of the year runner-up Steve Moore is still alive after a second-round loss 7-3 to Charlie Bryant. Moore commented, “My first two matches were rocky. I’m using a new shaft and aiming system, so things are spiced up a little. Charlie Bryant put me on the one-loss side—he played well, but I could have played better. If I can keep it together, I should do okay.” Moore ousted a pair of opponents, both 7-2, to face WPBA Pro Monica Webb in the morning.
With top players everywhere no bracket is safe, although the winners’ bracket became especially deadly in the evening rounds. Dennis Hatch defeated Charlie Bryant 7-5 then Louis Ulrich 8-3. Hatch now faces Deuel. In the lower half of the chart Rodney Morris defeated Troy Frank 8-6 and will now play Owen, while Thorsten Hohmann ended his night by defeating Mika Immonen 8-5 and will face tour regular Nathan Rose early Saturday.
View the Seminole Florida Pro Tour Finale image gallery (/gallery2/v/Pool+Tournaments/FLProFinale/)
With players like Johnny Archer, Corey Deuel, Charlie Williams, and Steve Moore still alive, nowhere is safe, although all the players are eagerly awaiting their matches as the $11,000 top prize twinkles in their eyes.
Saturday Winners’ Side:
Deuel vs Hatch
Wiseman vs Crosby
Owen vs Morris
Hohmann vs Rose
Saturday One-loss Side:
Coats vs Richko (Winner to face Calderon)
Archer vs Broxson (Winner to face Frank)
Mills vs Bryant (Winner to face Immonen)
Kennedy vs DiToro (Winner to face Thornfeldt)
Fujiwara vs Williams (Winner to face Davis)
Kelly vs Roberts (Winner to face Ulrich)
Webb vs Moore (Winner to face Laderia)
Infantas vs Pou (Winner to face McLanahan)

Former All-Star and MLB Great Andre Dawson kicks off Steve Mizerak Championship
The Seminole Tribe of Florida will host the 2nd annual Steve Mizerak Championship, the grand season ending event to the Seminole Pro Tour, on November 30th – December 2nd, 2007. The billiards event will be held at the Hard Rock Live, in Hollywood, FL and televised on the SunSports Network.
With a projected field of 128 players, the payout will total over $55,000, making it one of the highest paying tournaments in the country! Anybody is eligible to play, as there is no prerequisite for entry. The tournament will be played on premium billiards tables, sponsored by Diamond billiard Product, Inc., the manufacturer of tables designed by players for players.

Former All-Star and MLB great, Andre “The Hawk” Dawson will kick off the championship with a Celebrity Charity Pro-Am on November 29 also at the Hard Rock Live. Current and retired athletes, local media personalities and professional billiards players will team up to compete in a friendly and exciting 10-ball tournament. Spectators are welcome to watch for a $20 donation or may also enter into the tournament. Guests will also enjoy music, food, drinks and a silent auction with unique sports memorabilia presented by Field of Dreams. All proceeds benefit the Boys Girls Clubs of Broward County.
The Seminole Pro Tour is a series of 10-ball billiards tournaments held throughout Florida. Top-level professionals such as Corey Deuel, Earl Strickland, Rodney Morris, Thorsten Hohman, Alex Pagulayan and Marlon Manalo have competed for over $125,000 throughout the regular season tournaments.
To purchase tickets to the Steve Mizerak Championship or the Celebrity Charity Pro-Am with Andre Dawson, contact any Ticketmaster outlet, ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 954-523-3309 (Broward), 305-358-5885 (Miami-Dade) or 561-966-3309 (Palm Beach). To play in the Pro-Am or in the Steve Mizerak Championship, contact Brenna Mello at Seminole Sports Management at 954-364-5201 x 4 or email brennamello@semtribe.com (mailto:brennamello@semtribe.com)
Seminole Sports Management (SSM) is an elite event management and sports marketing company owned by the Seminole Tribe. SSM specializes in event planning, securing celebrity appearances, management of all fundraising aspects for non-profit foundations, securing sponsorship, event promotion, public relations and marketing.

Davis Comes Back Big TimeSeminole Florida Pro Tour / Holiday, FL

by Rick Davis
While his play is often hot or cold, either seizing the event or falling short early, Mike Davis continued a record year for himself as he came back from a first-round loss to take the October 5-7 billiards stop of the Seminole Florida Pro Tour. The only 10-ball tour in existence, it always draws in top players from around the world, including WPA and WPBA pros, as well as a smattering of local and regional greats. This event, the sixth of the season, took in 60 players who battled it out through the strict rules and double-elimination format at Hammer Heads billiard Lounge in Holiday, Florida.
Getting things started the players faced races to 7 through the first two days, and with pros everywhere, a stacked field and tough matches were seen anywhere you looked. Tournament director John DiToro continued to play his best in years as he started by defeating Davis 7-5 then dropped the axe on Richard Broumpton 7-2 and local Southern player Javier Chirino double-hill. Corey Deuel poked his head through, dropping Tommy Kennedy 7-3 and then Dave Broxson 7-4 before taking the long walk to the one-loss side. Ending the day’s highlights, Donnie Mills defeated Robb Saez 7-4, and Tony Crosby sent Thorsten Hohmann west after a 7-5 finish.
The third and final day of the action bumped the races to 8 with a single race to 9 slated for the finals. On the winners’ side everyone was scratching for the top, although it was DiToro who stunned the crowd and reached the summit. DiToro defeated Adam Wheeler 8-3 and Crosby 8-4 to reach the hot seat match, while a huge upset unfolded when long-time tour regular Neil Fujiwara slipped past multiple-event winner Steve Moore double-hill. Fujiwara soon found himself on the wrong end of a 8-4 thumping after facing Rafael Martinez, and then to finish the chart strong, DiToro squeaked past Martinez 8-7 to earn a rest in the hot seat.
On the one-los s side the longest survivor was Davis, who took four matches to reach the final day, eliminating a trio of players by not giving up more than 5 racks total. He then sent Hohmann home after a double-hill finish to end the day. Davis continued his terror in day three by knocking out Gabe Owen 8-7, Moore 8-6, and Saez 8-5 to reach the final six. In the remaining piece of the chart, Louis Ulrich was king as he eliminated Deuel 8-5 and Paul Song 8-6 also to see top-six action.
The final handful of matches blazed by as Ulrich sent Fujiwara home after an 8-5 match and Davis managed one rack better, defeating Crosby 8-4. Now raising the eyebrows of the crowd, Davis was in high gear and drilled Fujiwara 8-1 in the quarterfinals and Martinez 8-4 in the semifinals. Both Martinez, who has numerous top finishes on tour, and Fujiwara, who ended with his best finish in quite some time, played a great event and made Davis work for all he took.
With a single match waiting for either DiToro or Davis to claim, both players had their high and low points. Davis was calling upon any remaining energy after a long weekend, and DiToro was not used to late-night playoffs, having only being active on this single tour. Once the starting pistol shot Davis quickly took over, and before DiToro could answer back, Davis had taken the match 9-2 and capped off an amazing comeback, defying the odds and showing his skill and heart for the game.

Open Results:

1st
Mike Davis

2nd
John DiToro

3rd
Rafael Martinez

4th
Neil Fujiwara

5-6th
Tony Crosby

Louis Ulrich

7-8th
Robb Saez

Paul Song

9-12th
Adam Wheeler

Corey Deuel

Steve Moore

Jason Richko