Bowman Tops Fields at Windy City

Bowman Tops Fields at Windy City Tom Martin, InsidePOOL MagazineThe open 9-ball event concluded late Saturday night, with favorite Jesse Bowman living up to his reputation and taking home the $700 first prize. His opponent in the finals was Chicago-transplant Tom McClusky. The methodical yet well-paced play of McClusky, mixed with poor break turnouts and uncharacteristic scratches by Bowman allowed him to win the race to 9 by the lop-sided score of 9-4. In the second set, Bowman continued to be plagued by his break, coming up dry after winning the toss. This was to be a harbinger of more bad luck, as Bowman had four such breaks in the alternate-break format.
However, this time McClusky struggled as well, in the sixth game making four balls on the break, including the 9, but also making the cueball as well. Despite the faltering breaks, Bowman was in high gear from the get-go, capitalizing on early misses and finally getting a break-and-run to take a commanding 5-1 lead. Another no-in break gave McClusky a game and then gave one up the same way. Bowman broke and ran out to make it 7-2, and again McClusky sent the cueball off the table on the break and lost Game 10. A kick-scratch in the eleventh game gave McClusky a third point, but a missed 1-5 combo was to be his last turn at the table as Bowman ran the rack to win 9-3. Despite the occasionally erratic error and hard luck on the breaks, the spectators were treated to some excellent play. Ike Runnels and Mark Pratico filled out the third and fourth place slots.Top 12 Open 9-ball finishes:1. Jesse Bowman2. Tom McClusky3. Ike Runnels 4. Mark Pratico5-6. Chad Vilmont/Donny Branson 7-8. Mark Doxtater/John Binion 9-12. Brandon Ashcraft Tom Martin Dan Goepel Tom SpencerIn the women’s 8-ball event, Pam Bell was sent to the one-loss side early when Jolene Herum won on the hill in the third round, going on to defeat Julie Melman before succumbing to Debby Martin in the hot-seat match. True to form, Bell has forged her way past Tina Larsen and Barb Hamilton. Bell and Julie Schultz meet at high noon on Sunday.Only eight players remain in the men’s field. Actually we must accurately call it the “open” field, as there was a lone female entrant, Denver’s Jackie Broadhurst. Broadhurst respectably won a few matches in the 8-ball event and finished one out of the money in the 9-ball event. Of the men, there were several early power-packed matches and upsets. Ike Runnels sent Bowman to the one-loss side, and Jeff Sergent win over Brandon Ashcraft set up a Bowman-Ashcraft confrontation. Bowman prevailed and remains in the final eight. Josh Johnson stopped Ike Runnel’s run on the winners’ side. Adam Smith defeated Mclusky early but then lost to Jeff Sergent, eventually finishing tied for ninth, along with Chad Vilmont, Marvin Guss, and Sergio Perez. Sunday morning’s matches will be James Baraks vs. John Risko and Sergent vs. Johnson on the winners’ side, with Schuler cue sponsor John Binion vs Dan Walton and Donny Branson vs. Jesse Bowmancompleting the one-loss side schedule.Also underway are the Jack and Jill mixed scotch doubles tournament and the APA 5 and under handicap tournament, not to mention mini-tournaments galore! Along with the wrap up of the pool events, there will also be an open (amateur) steak-eating contest. Where’s the beef? It's at the Windy City Open!Visit InsidePOOL for the latest in the sport of billiards and pool.

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