Charles Holan captured his first-ever win on the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour, defeating Ray Porter in the finals of the amateur 9-ball division, 5-4, 4-1. Steve Lenz affirmed his new “open only” Tour status, clenching his third, consecutive title, undefeated, against Victor “Champion” Rojas in the finals of the open 9-ball division, 6-4.
On July 9th-10th, 2022, title sponsor Poison by Predator Cues, sponsors Predator Cues, Alamo Billiards, Outsville Billiards, and Team Straight Pool Eye, facilitated another successful event for players across Texas. Nearly 100 competitors, including 19 Gulf Coast Tour women, participated in the second Tour event held at the popular Big Tyme Billiards in Spring, Texas. Players traveled from Corpus Christi, Lufkin, Angleton, and San Antonio, vying for a piece of the $9,010 payout. Big Tyme provided twenty-four, 7’ bar tables for tournament play, all covered with Predator Arcadia Reserve, tournament blue cloth, in a non-smoking environment. Predator sponsored the Arcos II ball sets used on each table and Accu-Racks were provided by Outsville Billiards for discussion-free racking.
In the amateur 9-ball division, winners’ side final eight, Charles Holan ousted Chuck Adams, 5-2, while Danny Bennett denied Eric Gauthier, 5-1. Ray Porter defeated Victory Rojas, 5-2, and Javier Alienes squeezed by Christian Diaz, 5-4. In the following round, Holan shutout Bennett, 5-0, while Porter bested Alienes, 5-2. Hot seat action witnessed Porter handily defeat Holan to clench the winners’ side, 5-1. On the west side, down to the final eight players in the event, Diaz ended Fuller, but fell to Bennett by the same score, 4-2. Eric Cantrell dusted off Gauthier, 4-2, but fell short against Alienes, 4-2. Bennett eliminated Alienes, 4-2, but lost his bid against Holan, 4-3. Holan earned himself a rematch with Porter, vying for his first-ever, Tour title. In the final match, Porter came out firing, but Holan answered back, as players traded game for game in the first set. A determined Holan nosed ahead, closing out the first set, 5-4. In the second set of the true, double elimination final, Porter fell behind, and Holan was full steam ahead, winning the second set, 4-1. Congratulations to Charles Holan on capturing his first-ever, Tour title.
In the open 9-ball division, winners’ side final eight, Steve Lenz defeated Sonny Bosshamer, 6-4, while Javier Alienes detoured Kevin Frauenberger, 6-4. Johnny Griffin slid by Ernesto Bayaua, 6-4, while Billy Sharp sent Steve Siarski west, 6-4. In the following round, Lenz overcame Alienes, 6-4, while Sharp made quick work of Griffin, 6-2. In the hot seat match, Lenz came on strong, ending Sharp’s winning streak, 6-2. On the west side, and in the final eight, Rojas was on a roll, ending Bayaua and Alienes by the same score, 5-1. Bill Fuller took out Tony Mathew, 5-3, but fell to Griffin, 5-1. Rojas was on fire, eliminating Griffin, then Sharp, by the same score, 5-1. After losing his second-round match to Bayaua, Rojas won an incredible eight matches to reach Lenz. In the final match, Lenz stopped Rojas, 6-4, to capture his third, consecutive Tour title, this year.
The Tour would like to welcome all the new players who attended this event and invite them back at every opportunity. The next event will be held September 10th-11th at R House Bar and Grill in Houston, Texas.
Finally, the Tour gave away thirteen Poison and Predator products at this event, marking thirteen years of Poison Lone Star Tour Tournaments. Raffle winners included Lonny Woodworth, who took home a Poison VX5 Break Cue and Steven Kay won a set of Predator Arcos II Balls.
For more information about the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour, visit www.LoneStarBilliardsTour.com.
Amateur Payouts – Total $4,145
1st Charles Holan $525/$1,065
2nd Ray Porter $325/$700
3rd Danny Bennett $200/$400
4th Javier Alienes $150/$200
5th-6th Christian Diaz, Eric Cantrell $90/$90
7th-8th Bill Fuller, Eric Gauthier $70
9th-12th Johnny Griffin, Victor Rojas, Chuck Adams, Philip Broussard $40
13th-16th Chad Burgess, Pete Charles, Stephen Turner, Oscar Ruiz, Sr. $25
Open Payouts – $4,865
1st Steve Lenz $585/$1,265
2nd Victor Rojas $400/$800
3rd Billy Sharp $280/$500
4th Johnny Griffin $190/$200
5th-6th Bill Fuller, Javier Alienes $90
7th-8th Ernesto Bayaua, Tony Mathew $60
9th-12th Steve Siarski, Charlie Bryant, Sonny Bosshamer, Kevin Frauenberger $45
13th-16th Mark Nanashee, Ray Porter, Jeremy Howard, Jay Russell $25