Big Weekend for Churnin, Matlock

By Bill Rosenberger 

The McDermott Midwest 9-Ball Tour, along with Shooters in Olathe, KS, played host to three tournaments between Thursday, December 2 and Sunday, December 5, 2004.  David Matlock, who rarely fails to show up in the top three, and "LA" Mark Churnin both found their way to top in all weekend long.

During the first two days, a o­ne-pocket tournament was played with a 15-player field.  Matlock fell early to Churnin 3-2, but he would have his time during the 9-ball event.  Meanwhile, Churnin knocked out Don Crump in the hot seat and then took the o­ne-pocket title with a 3-2 win over Gary Serville.

Friday night, tournament director Harvey Hibner hosted a mini-event that drew 21 players.  Again, Churnin prevailed, defeating Johnny Robinson 5-2 in the finals. 

The big payday event started Saturday, and the usual suspects emerged to play o­n Sunday.  Serville, Matlock, and Churnin all played strong to make it the last few matches, with Serville the first to bow out.  Matlock and Churnin then played in the hot seat match, with Churnin playing the best that anyone usually can against Matlock but still falling 9-6.

Twenty-three year-old tour sensation Jordan Davis emerged through the west side to get to the semifinals.  Davis and his amazing break carried him throughout the event, including a 9-7 win over Churnin.  "Davis was sinking four or five balls a break," described Hibner.  "He'd o­nly have a few balls left o­n the table for easy runs."

However, Davis was no match for Matlock in the finals, falling 9-5 to the 9-ball veteran.

Besides the three outstanding tournaments, Hibner also set up a radar gun so players could clock their breaks.  Davis, who breaks like a young Charlie Bryant, was clocked at 27 mph, and Hibner said that if he doesn't sink four balls o­n the break, people are asking what he did wrong. 

One-Pocket Results:
1st Mark Churnin $480
2nd Gary Serville $270
3rd Don Crump $180

Mini Tour Results:
1st Mark Churnin $290
2nd Johnny Robinson $170

9-Ball Results:
1st David Matlock $1,000
2nd Jordan Davis $700
3rd Mark Chunin $480
4th Darrell Smith $240
5th Harvey Hibner, Johnny Robinson $150
7th Gary Serville, David Caron $50

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