Price, Costello, Felder, Hughes, Rojas, Hunt, Shabib, Hood
Turkish players, Raed Shabib and Eylül Kibaroğlu, both came from behind to win the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour, season opener, capturing the open and amateur 9-ball divisions, respectively. In the 82-player, open division, Shabib bested Ricky Hughes in the final 6-2, 5-4, while Kibaroğlu took out Bill Fuller in the 64-player, amateur division, 5-2, 4-1. Shabib secured his first-ever Tour win, dominating an impressive field of 82 players. This was Kibaroğlu’s first time to compete, securing her first-ever victory, and becoming the first woman, in Tour history, to capture a division title.
Eylül Kibaroğlu
On January 6th-7th, 2024, 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. Well over 100 competitors, including 28 Gulf Coast Tour women, participated in the first event of the Tour season, held at the popular Big Tyme Billiards in Spring, Texas. 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 open 9-ball division, winners’ side final eight, Kenneth Price defeated Joshua Pangilinan, 6-4, while Ricky Hughes sent Nick Hood west, 6-3. Victor Rojas overwhelmed Chris Ramoz, 6-1, and Jason Hunt fell to Raed Shabib, 6-2. In the next round, it was Hughes over Price, 6-4, and Shabib overcame Rojas, 6-3. In the hot seat match, Hughes upset Shabib, 6-4, seemingly on his way to a Tour victory. On the west side, in the final eight, Felder lost to Hood, and Hood fell in turn to Rojas, just shy of the final four. Hunt shut out Leon Contreras, 5-0, but was edged out by Price, 5-4. Rojas eliminated Price, 5-1, but fell to Shabib by the same score. Shabib advanced to the final, earning himself a rematch with Huges. In the first set, Shabib took the lead, and dominated Hughes, 6-2. In overtime, Hughes fought back, but lost the hill game, 5-4. Congratulations to Raed Shabib on his impressive comeback, and his first open division victory.
Price, Kibaroğlu, Hughes, Fuller, Rivera, Porter, Rojas, Frauenberger
In the amateur 9-ball division, winners’ side final eight, Kevin Frauenberger inched by Rich Rodriguez, and Bill Fuller defeated Felix Rivera, by the same score, 5-4. Eylül Kibaroğlu bested Victor Rojas, while Ricky Hughes denied Kenneth Price, also by the same score, 5-2. In the next round, it was Fuller over Frauenberger, 5-4, and Kibaroğlu stopped Hughes, 5-3. In the hot seat match, Fuller slid past Kibaroğlu, 5-4. On the west side, in the final eight, Price shut out Rojas, 4-0, and eliminated Frauenberger, 4-1, while Rivera sent home Porter and Hughes, by the same score, 4-3. Rivera sent Price packing, 4-3, but was dealt a final blow by Kibaroglu, 4-1. Kibaroğlu vying for a first time win, teed off against Fuller, who was searching for his second, Tour victory. In the first set of the true, double elimination final, Kibaroğlu finished ahead, 5-2. In the second set, Fuller gave it his best shot, but fell to Kibaroğlu, 4-1.
Congratulations to Eylül Kibaroğluon on her first-ever, Tour title. It was not only her first time to play, but she became the first woman to ever win a Tour division, in its 15-year history!
Open Payouts – $6,310
1st Raed Shabib $740 / $1,400
2nd Ricky Hughes $520 / $940
3rd Victor Rojas $350 / $560
4th Kenny Price $200 / $360
5th-6th Jason Hunt, Nick Hood $100 / $170 ea
7th-8th Leon Contreras, Will Felder $80 ea
9th-12th Chris Ramoz, Joshua Pangilinan, Keil Perry, Kevin Frauenberger $60
13th-16th James Costello, Pedro Oviol, Andrew Rodriguez, Alex Ramon $35
Amateur Payouts – $5,480
1st Eylul Kibaroglu 585 / $1,400
2nd Bill Fuller $350 / $880
3rd Felix Rivera $225 / $560
4th Kenny Price $140 / $360
5th-6th Ricky Hughes, Kevin Frauenberger $70 / $170 ea
7th-8th Victor Rojas, Ray Porter $50 / $80 ea
9th-12th Joe Pelayo, Pedro Oviol, Charles Holan, Richard Rodriguez $35 ea
13th-16th Will Felder, David Barndt, Jesus Perez, Jason Hunt $25 ea