The 2024 Gulf Coast Tour Champion, Natalie Rocha, tackled a 23-player field to capture the first stop of the 2025 Gulf Coast Tour season, held at Big Tyme Billiards in Spring, Texas. In the finals, Rocha lost the first set to the formidable Mille Almaraz, 7-6, but secured her victory in overtime, 5-1.

Rocha, Garland, Payne, Almaraz
On January 4th-5th, sponsors Poison by Predator Cues, Predator Cues, APA of North Harris County, Alamo Billiards, Outsville Billiards, and Team Straight Pool Eye, produced another successful event for the women of the Gulf Coast Tour. The two-day event featured a $500 added purse, drew 23 players, and paid out $1,075 in prize money. Big Tyme Billiards provided twenty-four, 7’ bar tables for match play, all covered in Predator Arcadia Reserve, tournament blue cloth, in a smoke-free environment. Predator provided Arcos II Pool Balls and Outsville Billiards supplied Accu-Rack template racks, for each table.

In the final eight on the winners’ side, Teresa Garland defeated Jillian Nickerson, 7-5, while Terri Urban denied Ruth Paine, 7-6. Natalie Rocha bested Amy Barndt, 7-4, and Mille Almaraz shut out Sophia Lopez, 7-0. Final four action witnessed Garland overcome Urban, 7-4, and Rocha oust Almaraz, 7-5. In the hot seat match, Rocha bested Garland, 7-5. On the west side and in the final eight, Robyn Petrosino ended Nickerson, 5-3, but fell in turn to Almaraz, 5-0. Angie Payne ended Lopez, 5-0, and Urban, 5-2. Almaraz went on to defeat Payne, 5-2, then Garland, 5-1, to meet Rocha in the finals. In the first set of the true, double elimination finals, Almaraz was off and running, taking the first set, 7-6. In overtime, Rocha regrouped, closing out the second set, 5-1, to secure her first win of the 2025 Tour season.

Jillian Nickerson made a tournament break through, marking up her first win in the second chance, 9-ball tournament. Congratulations to Ruth Paine on finishing runner-up.
The Tour would like to welcome all the new players who attended their first event, and urge them to return at every opportunity! The next stop is February 1st-2nd, 2025, at Fast Eddie’s (Embassy Oaks) in San Antonio, Texas.
Payouts – $1,075
1st Natalie Rocha $420
2nd Mille Almaraz $280
3rd Teresa Garland $175
4th Angie Payne $100
5th-6th Terri Urban, Robyn Petrosino $50 ea