Ming “The Empress” Ng defeated Yvonne “The Casher” Asher in an overtime thriller, at the second stop on the Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour. Thirty-eight women turned out to support the event, held at Tony Nguyen’s newly remodeled, Diamond Sports Bar and Grill in Port Arthur, Texas.
On February 9th-10th, 2019, sponsors Cyclop Pool Balls, Poison by Predator Cues, APA of North Harris County, Vapor Knights USA, and Outsville Billiards, facilitated another successful event for the Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour. The purse totaled $2,080 for the two-day, main 9-ball event, including a second chance 9-ball event on Sunday, paying out $320. The Tour would like to thank room owner, Tony Nguyen, for adding a total of $1,160 to the event. This tournament marked the Tour’s first time at the brand new, Diamond Sports Bar and Grill, following the devastation of Texas’ 2017 Hurricane Harvey, which totaled Nguyen’s former pool room, “Crazy Eight’s Family Pool Hall”. Same location, new name, and complete makeover, Diamond Sports Bar is stunning, dressed with eighteen brand new Diamond bar tables, two nine foot tables, full bar, and kitchen. Nguyen bounced back with the help of family, friends, and the Port Arthur community, in a big way. Nguyen not only reinvented his pool room, but opened up his own restaurant called “Reel Cajun”, a seafood restaurant and bar, now featuring locations in Port Arthur, Lumberton, and Orange. The Tour encourages everyone who supports pool, locally, to patronize businesses who contribute to the success of the sport, and the Nguyen family certainly qualifies! The Gulf Coast Tour is deeply appreciative of Tony Nguyen, the Nguyen family, and their entire staff, for hosting a first-rate event, and look forward to their next stop at Diamond Sports Bar and Grill.
The winners’ side final four paired Michelle Abernathy and Sophia Lopez, and Yvonne Asher with Kawania Watson. Abernathy overcame some incredible competition, including Ellen Robinson, 7-6, Pamela Chavez, 7-2, and Celeste Espinosa, 7-5, while Lopez defeated Brandi Fendley, 7-5, Kathryn Delaney, 7-5, Robyn Petrosino, 7-3, and Kim Pierce, 7-0. Asher tagged Ashton Barak, 7-2, Bobbie Jo Johnson, 7-5, Loretta “The Gem” Lindgren, 7-2, and Kawania Watson, 7-5. In a first-ever hot seat match up, Asher overcame Lopez, 7-4, seemingly on her way to her first Gulf Coast Tour victory. On the one loss side, finishing in the final sixteen, Petrosino eliminated B.J. Williams, 5-0, and Stacie “The Chipper” Smith stopped D’Andrea “Bank Shot Dee” McQuirter, 5-3. Toni “The Copperhead” Esteves fell to Brandi Booth, 5-3, and Robinson eliminated Joelle Toerner, 5-1. In the final twelve, and in the money, Lindgren slid by Petrosino, 5-4, and Ng terminated Smith, 5-2, while Booth overwhelmed Espinosa, 5-1, and Pierce dusted off Robinson. Recovering from a fourth round blow at the hands of Watson, Ng continued to decimate on the one loss side, ousting Lindgren and Abernathy, while Pierce tore through Booth, 5-0, and Watson, 5-2. A rematch with Watson resulted in a 5-2 win for The Empress, who subsequently defeated Lopez, to reach Asher, in the finals. Following a five match winning streak, Ng teed off with Asher, for a thrilling final. Asher and Ng kept it close, fighting for every opportunity. A couple of unforced errors made the difference, and Ng took the first set, 7-5. In the second set of the true, double elimination final, Asher held firm, but fell short. Ng secured the second set, 5-2, capturing her first Gulf Coast Tour event of 2019.
Sunday’s second chance event was the most successful to date, thanks to sixteen competitors, and Tony Nguyen, who doubled the prize money. Teresa “Princess of Pool” Garland went undefeated to win, becoming a two-time, second chance event winner. Newcomers Frances Arechiga finished second, Phyllis Winscott, third, and Pamela Chavez, fourth.
The Gulf Coast Tour would like to welcome its brand new player members: Kathryn Delaney, Joelle Toerner, Bobbie Jo Johnson, Vivianna Christapher, Phyllis Winscott, Tiffany Abernathy, Crystal Cisneros, Rebecca Tobin, Frances Arechiga, Christie Kasko, and Stacie Smith. The Tour welcomes back Brandi Booth, Brandi Gilchriest, Kasey Mikolajczyk, Natalie Rocha, Kim Pierce, Monica DeTuncq, and Tina Williams.
The Tour would like to recognize Celeste Espinosa, Julia Acevedo, Ruth Paine, D’Andrea McQuirter, and Toni Esteves, who kept the tournament running smoothly, and sold raffle tickets to help support future events. Many thanks to Gary Medlin who performed cue repair, and D’Andrea McQuirter who offered massage services to all the weary pool players. D’Andrea also took home a Poison VX playing cue, and Carl Honey secured a set of Cyclop “Zeus” pool balls, products they won in the weekend raffles.
The next event is March 23rd-24th at Slick Willies Family Pool Hall, 6436 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, Texas, 78238. For more information, visit www.GulfCoastWomensTour.com. There will also be a Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour 9-ball event, this same weekend. For more information, or to get prelisted for either event, email Kim Newsome at lonestartour@gmail.com.
Payout $1,760
1st Ming Ng $600
2nd Yvonne Asher $400
3rd Sophia Lopez $280
4th Kawania Watson $180
5th-6th Kim Pierce, Michelle Abernathy $70 ea
7th-8th Loretta Lindgren, Brandi Booth $35 ea
9th-12th Robyn Petrosino, Ellen Robinson, Stacie Smith, Celeste Espinosa $25 ea
Second Chance
Payout $320
1st Teresa Garland $150
2nd Frances Arechiga $90
3rd Phyllis Winscott $50
4th Pamela Chavez $30