On June 5th, 2022, Steve Lenz accomplished what no player on Tour has accomplished in 9 years – he captured both the amateur and open 9-ball divisions, in a single event. Lenz finished undefeated on both sides, with Johnny Griffin finishing runner-up in the amateur, and Mark Nanashee, runner-up in the open. Hailing from Vidor, Texas, the Tour veteran and 2021 Poison Lone Star Tour Champion, and his wife, Crystal, have been attending events since the Tour’s 2010 inception. Steve has earned his status as an “open only” player, and will now be competing, exclusively, in the open division.
On June 4th-5th, 2022, title sponsor Poison by Predator Cues, sponsors Predator Cues, Alamo Billiards, Outsville Billiards, and Team Straight Pool Eye, facilitated a successful, fifth stop on the Poison Lone Star Tour. Slick Willies Family Pool Hall, located at 5913 Westheimer in Houston, Texas, provided twenty-three, 8’ tables for tournament play, in a smoke-free environment, while Predator sponsored the Arcos II ball sets used on each table, along with Accu-Racks for discussion-free racking, sponsored by Outsville Billiards.
In the amateur 9-ball division, winners’ side final eight, Steve Lenz ousted Ray Porter, 5-4, and Robert Salinas fell to Ben Allogio, 5-3. Victor “Champion” Rojas slid past Danny Bennett, 5-4, and returning player, Kevin Nguyen, upset Johnny Griffin, 5-3. In the following round, Lenz made quick work of Allogio, 5-2, and Rojas defeated Nguyen, 5-3. Lenz was on fire, taking out Rojas in the hot seat match, 5-2. Down to the final eight players, on the one-loss side, Griffin ended Bennett and Allogio by the same score, 4-2, while Porter sent Salinas packing, 4-3. Nguyen shut out Porter in the following round, 4-0, but fell to Griffin 4-2. Griffin sent Rojas packing, 4-1, to meet Lenz in the finals. Lenz denied Griffin in the first set of the true, double elimination final, 5-3, securing his first Tour victory of the season.
In the open 9-ball division, winners’ side final eight, Kevin Nguyen overpowered Pete Charles, 6-3, while Brendan Vu bested John Havens, 6-2. Steve Lenz overcame Chris Ramoz, 6-3, and Danny Bennett slid past Rafael Garcia, 6-5. Vu overwhelmed Nguyen, 6-3, and Lenz defeated Bennett, 6-3. In the hot seat match, a determined Lenz made quick work of Vu, 6-1, securing yet another, hot seat victory. Down to the final eight players, on the one-loss side, Chris Ramoz took out Garcia, while Mark Nanashee eliminated junior phenom, Kyle Yi, by the same score, 5-2. In the following round, Ramoz was sent home by Nguyen, and Nanashee dusted off Bennett, by the same score, 5-4. Nanashee was on a roll, blowing past Nguyen and Vu, scoring seven match wins to meet Lenz in the finals. In the end, Lenz could not be stopped, ending Nanashee’s run, and making Tour history.
The Tour welcomes all the new players who attended this event and invites them back at every opportunity. The next event will be held July 9th-10th at Big Tyme Billiards in Spring, Texas.
For more information about the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour, visit www.LoneStarBilliardsTour.com.
Open Payouts – Total $2,950
1st Steve Lenz $580/$700
2nd Mark Nanashee $360/$470
3rd Brendan Vu $260/$280
4th Kevin Nguyen $120
5th-6th Danny Bennett, Chris Ramoz $50
7th-8th Kyle Yi, Rafael Garcia $40
Amateur Payouts – $2,885
1st Steve Lenz $510/$700
2nd Johnny Griffin $330/$475
3rd Victor Rojas $220/$280
4th Kevin Nguyen $100/$130
5th-6th Ray Porter, Ben Allogio $40
7th-8th Danny Bennett, Robert Salinas $30