Strong Play Earns Berrong the Viking Tour Win

By Bill Rosenberger

A tough and talented field of 64 players flocked to The Pool Room in Marietta, GA, o­n January 15-16 for the Viking Cue Open 9-Ball Tour.  Not o­nly did top players like Mike Davis and B.J. Ussery show up, but WPBA players Helena Thornfeldt and Monica Webb also tried their hand for the $1,800 first-place pot.

Davis, who was an early favorite, fell to Scotty Townsend and Webb o­n Saturday, leaving the field open for other players like Bruce Berrong and Steve Moore to climb the charts and enter Sunday with a chance for the cash. 

Ussery and Berrong both emerged undefeated to reach the hot seat match, but Ussery got the early lead and hung o­n for a 9-5 win.  Berrong's opponent in the semifinals was Moore, who had knocked out Paul Turner in a 9-7 match that could have gone either way.  Berrong, though, cruised to the victory, winning 9-1.

Berrong had his hands full in the finals, as Ussery usually barrels down in the last match.  And that fact that Berrong needed two sets to oust him was even more of a challenge-a challenge he was up to.  In the first set, Berrong grabbed a strong 9-4 win, followed by a 9-6 second-set win, giving him the tournament victory.

Results:

1st Bruce Berrong $1,800

2nd B.J. Ussery $1,150

3rd Steve Moore $750

4th Paul Turner $550

5th Martin Roberts, Brian White $280

7th Monica Webb, Scotty Townsend $100

9th Brian Davis, Jim Forsyth, David Broxson, Helena Thornfeldt $70

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