Ming “The Empress” Ng went undefeated in a 40-player field, to capture the sixth stop on the 2019 Gulf Coast Women’s Regional Billiards Tour. In the first set of the true, double elimination final, Ng bested Courtney Peters, 7-4, earning her fourth title this year. In the second chance 9-ball event, all the way from Mobile, Alabama, newcomer Kelly Jones was first to cross the finish line, defeating San Antonio’s Marilina “Big M” Nieves in the final, 3-1.
On July 6th-7th, 2019, sponsors Cyclop Pool Balls, Poison by Predator Cues, APA of North Harris County, Vapor Fiend, Outsville Billiards, and venue, Big Tyme Billiards, facilitated another successful event for Gulf Coast Tour players. Held at Big Tyme Billiards, located at 100 Cypresswood Drive in Spring, Texas, the event paid out $1,800 in prize money, including $1,000 added, for the two-day, women’s bar table 9-ball event. This marked the first Gulf Coast tournament held at the renowned, billiards hotspot, and the Tour would like to thank owners Billy Sharp, Deborah Sharp, Mark Avery, and Jim Henry, for hosting a first-class event. The seventh stop on the Gulf Coast Tour will be at Skinny Bob’s Billiards, located at 300 Hester’s Crossing Road, Round Rock, Texas, 78681. This event will be played on 9’ tables.
On her way to the winners’ side final four, Ming Ng defeated Gail “Virginia Slim” Eaton, 7-6, Kelly Jones, 7-2, and Terry “The Terrorizer” Petrosino, 7-3. Courtney Peters was on a roll, securing wins over Julia Acevedo, 7-2, Ellen Robinson, 7-3, and Yvonne “The Caser” Asher, 7-0. Natalie Rocha, bested Kasey Mikolajczyk, 7-1, Stacie Chipper, 7-1, and Michelle Abernathy, 7-2, while Kim “Texas Heat” Pierce took down Lisa Bailey, 7-1, Mercedes Vasquez, 7-5, and Sara Bork, 7-3. On the one-loss side, rounding out the final eight competitors, R. Petrosino was eliminated by T. Petrosino, 5-0, and Bork beat out Robinson, 5-3. Joyce Davis fell to Asher, 5-1, and Jones was dusted off by Abernathy, 5-3. On the winners’ side, Peters stayed her course, sending Rocha to the west side, 7-4. The indomitable Ng, ousted Pierce, 7-4, in search of yet another, Tour win. In the hot seat match, after a well-fought race, Peters was denied, 7-4. Back on the west side, T. Petrosino dominated Bork, 5-0, and Rocha, 5-3, positioning herself in the final four. Abernathy upset Asher, 5-1, but was stopped by Pierce, just short of a tournament best. T. Petrosino and Pierce battled it out, game for game, until T. Petrosino pulled ahead for the hill-hill win. Peters was waiting in the wings, hopeful for a rematch against Ng, but it wasn’t in the cards. Tied at 4-4, T. Petrosino put away Peters, ending her opportunity for a rematch. T. Petrosino, vying for her first win of the year, faced off with Ng, aiming for her fourth Tour victory. In the final match, both players appeared cool, calm, and collected, but on this day, Ng proved too much for her opponent. Ng secured the first set, 7-4, claiming yet another win on the Gulf Coast Tour.
Kelly Jones captured her first, second chance 9-ball event, with Marilina Nieves finishing second, and Joyce Davis, third. The Tour would like to congratulate all the top finishers, and those who reached a milestone during this competition. Gulf Coast Tour player, Verda Jones, came out on top in a different way. She won a Poison Arsenic3-2 playing cue in the weekend raffle!
The Tour welcomes new members, Kelly Jones, Diana Snook, Kim Woodworth, and Ileana Sullivan, and returning members, Gail Eaton, Terry Petrosino, and Alicia Huff. Gulf Coast Board members Kim Pierce, Ming Ng, Toni Esteves, and Julia Acevedo directed the entire event, including raffle ticket sales. It was a seamless production, ending early on both days.
The first annual, Gulf Coast Tour Invitational, $5,000 added event, will be held October 31st-November 3rd, 2019, at Skinny Bob’s Billiards in Round Rock, Texas. This is an “invitation only” event. Players who participate on the Gulf Coast Tour, will be eligible for invites, along with a number of other regional tours in the U.S. For more information, please email Kim Newsome at lonestartour@gmail.com. This event is presented by Vapor Fiend, www.onlinevapestore.com, and Cyclop Pool Balls, www.Cyclop-Billiards.com. Sponsors include Poison by Predator Cues, www.poisonbilliards.com, Outsville Billiards, www.Outsville.com, and the APA of North Harris County.
The seventh stop of the 2019 season is August 3rd-4th, at Skinny Bob’s Billiards, located at 300 Hester’s Crossing, Round Rock, Texas, 78681. This event will be played on 9’ tables. For more information, visit www.GulfCoastWomensTour.com.
Photos by Eugene Lee Images
Payouts – Total $1,800
1st Ming Ng $600
2nd Terry Petrosino $400
3rd Courtney Peters $280
4th Kim Pierce $170
5th-6th Natalie Rocha, Michelle Abernathy $75 ea
Second Chance
1st Kelly Jones $50
2nd Marilina Nieves $30