Lopsided Billiard Matches Dominate the Florida Pro Tour

Lopsided Billiard Matches Dominate the Florida Pro Tourby Rick DavisAfter a summer break the Florida Pro Tour resumed play for their sixth tour stop at Victory Billiards in West Palm Beach, FL, during the October 7 weekend. The $8,000-added 10-ball event drew in a 54-player field, many of whom had traveled directly from the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships.Opening the event, Butch Croft and Earl Strickland each shut out their opponents 7-0, while Rodney Morris was defeated by Ron Wiseman. Croft and Strickland will each return for play on Sunday, having reached the top 16. None of their opponents could accumulate more than five racks. The test will come tomorrow as they face each other in the opening round. Usually very animated, Strickland was quiet and worn out. He commented, “The first couple of guys were kind of soft. Obviously the pockets are bigger here … the breaks are tougher and the patterns are tougher. Things clog up more, but I think you have to break better than anything.”
Steve Moore (pitured above), a growing fan favorite, blew through his opponents 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4. Only the last against Tony Crosby caused any real problems. Moore will next face Robb Saez, who blew through two opponents himself before coming out on top of a close match against tour director John DiToro 7-5. Others to make it though on the winners’ side include James Laderia, a respected local player, and Jason Klatt, a young star from Canada with a lot of game.Within the field were two women, a rarity for the Florida Tour, although each was eliminated after three rounds of play. Jeannie Seaver managed to eliminate long-time tour player Walter Blacker, while Ellen Van Buren knocked out Rocky McElroy before her departure. With play scheduled to run well past midnight, many won’t know until tomorrow what the field will hold. Tomorrow will bring back eight from each side of the board, who will fight for the lion’s share of the prize money and all-important tour points now that only two more events remain before the huge $15,000-added state championships.Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news in the sport of billiards and pool.

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