Shuff Wins First Billiard Event, Shea Repeats

Tiger Pool Tour / Frederick, MD

by Andy Lincoln

Brandon Shuff

Brandon Shuff started his Saturday out with a 9-8 scare from Trevor Dentz. A quick 9-2 win over Tai Bui and a 9-5 score with Barry Bowman pitted Shuff against strong tour player Lee Holt. Holt was having a great day with a pair of 9-2 wins over Matt Clatterbuck and Dan Maruschak. Shuff advanced past Holt 9-7 to reach the final four winners’ side going into Sunday’s play. The bottom half of the bracket was ruled by Manuel Chau, who knocked off three Virginians in Luther Farley, Joe Russo, and Larry Kressel. Joining Chau and Shuff in the final four were Jerry Slivka and Danny Mulhollen III, both in the current top five on the tour rankings.

Play continued Sunday with Shuff working his way through Slivka 9-7 and Chau squashing Mulhollen 9-3. An exciting 9-8 win over Chau put Shuff into the hot seat. Not much of interest was happening in the elimination bracket. Mulhollen and Slivka both advanced to meet up where Slivka sent Mulhollen home in the fourth-place spot. Slivka quickly took down Chau to set up a rematch with Shuff in the single-set, race-to-11 finals.

Linda Shea

A field of 12 ladies came out Sunday to shoot at the cash. The final four winners’ side came down to last event’s winner, Linda Shea, tour regulars Malea Haacke and Sharon O’Hanlon, as well as Ming Ng making the most of a rare appearance. Shea advanced over Haacke 7-3, while Ng came out on top 7-6 with O’Hanlon. In the hot seat match, Shea took an early lead before Ng came back to win 7-5.

In the elimination bracket, O’Hanlon sent Haacke home in fourth place before losing to Shea. The single-set, race-to-9 finals saw a determined Shea take another early lead. Ng managed a couple more games, but it was Shea winning with a 9-6 score for her second consecutive tour win.