Gokhul Takes Aruba 10-Ball Classic

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Gokhul Takes Aruba 10-Ball Classic

by Roland Acosta

Danny Gokhul captured the Caribbean Mercantile Bank Aruba 10-Ball Classic, which was a Caribbean Billiards Union event, sanctioned by CPB. left to right: Danny "Cool Cat" Gokhul, Allan "Zero Thunder" Van Aanholt, Anthony "Young Gun" Wever, 1st, 2nd, and third respectively.

Thirty-two players from eight countries competed in the Caribbean Mercantile Bank Aruba 10-Ball Classic the weekend of August 30-31.  The Caribbean Billiards Union event, sanctioned by CPB, was also a qualifier to the next year’s 2009 Predator International 10-Ball Championships to be held in Las Vegas, NV.  Well-known pro players such as Leo Campos from Peru, South America, and Ike Runnels, both living in Chicago, were among the early favorites to win the event, but Danny Gokhul had other plans in mind.

Representing Guyana but residing in the UK, Gokhul and local Aruban hero Allan Van Aanholt were to dispute the finals. “Zero Thunder” Van Aanholt went undefeated throughout the tournament, besting Ike Runnels in the third round and then sending “Danny” Gokhul to the one-loss side during the semifinals.  But Gokhul had other plans and worked his way to the final spot to match once again with Van Aanholt. 

Gokhul came out with a big 10-3 win against Van Aanholt and the with the cash prize of $3,000 USD.  Allan got $1,500 USD for his runner-up effort, with Victor Cuccuza from Venezuela making it to the third spot and collecting $750 USD.  In fourth place and from Aruba, Ransley “Psycho” Tromp cashed $500 with an unexpected surprise knock-out of Runnels for the title run.  Tromp had sent a message to all present on Saturday night when he eliminated three-time CPB Panamerican 9-Ball runner-up Luis Miguel Sanchez from Venezuela.

Runnels and Anthony Wever from Curacao were awarded $350 for finishing in fifth place.  Wever, who was just crowned CPB Panamerican 9-Ball junior champion in Nicaragua last week, surprised 2002 Panamerican champion Roland Acosta in the one-loss rounds with a great come-from-behind win.

Seventh place paid $275 each to Ryan Rampersaud and Acosta, who took out Leo Campos after Campos was sent to the one-loss round by Runnels.

Out of the money but in respectable ninth-place finishes were Roberto Martinez from Peru, Leo Campos (USA), Bryan Farah (Curacao), and Johnny Hellmund, also from Curacao.

A total of $7,000 USD were shared between the top eight finishers.  Sixteen players from Uruguay, Peru, Venezuela, Guadeloupe, Curacao, the USA, and the UK traveled to face off against sixteen local Aruban players. They all had a great time and are looking forward to next year’s event in the beautiful Caribbean Island of Aruba.

Special thanks to Caribbean Mercantile Bank, Classic Billiards, Iwan Simonis, and Poison Cues, the Official Tournament Cue of the Aruba 10-Ball Classic.

For more information about the tournament, please visit www.poolinaruba.com.

Van Boening Takes Texas Open

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Van Boening Takes Texas Open
Texas Open / Round Rock, TX

by Skip Maloney

Shane "The South Dakota Kid" Van Boening had to beat Gabe "The Babe" Owen twice to win the Texas State Open at G Cue Billiards in Round Rock, TX.

Shane Van Boening battled Gabe Owen twice to capture first place in the Texas Open, which concluded in the early hours of Tuesday morning after Labor Day weekend. The $3,250-added event drew 128 competitors to G-Cue Billiards in Round Rock, TX.

Late Monday evening, Van Boening and Owen emerged as the undefeated finalists in their respective 64-player brackets; Owen with a 54-30 record and Van Boening with a slightly better 54- 20 record. Van Boening had only given up 13 total racks in his first five games until he ran into Charlie Bryant among the tournament’s final four on the winners’ side. He sent Bryant west 9-7 and then faced Owen for the first time in the hot seat match.

Owen, in the meantime, had battled past Dave Henson 9-4 and Ismael Paez 9-7 to reach the hot seat match. He was dispatched to the semifinals with a 9-6 win by Van Boening. Paez and Bryant had moved to the one-loss side to face Glenn Atwell and Shawn Putnam. It was Atwell and Putnam advancing to the quarterfinals, won by Putnam 9-3. Owen dropped Putnam into third place with a 9-7 victory and moved back to face Van Boening. The two battled in the finals to a second 9-6 win for Van Boening, which secured the first-place prize.

Results:
1st Shane Van Boening
2nd Gabe Owen
3rd Shawn Putnam
4th Glen Atwell
5th Charlie Bryant
Ismael Paez
7th James Roberts
James Davis, Sr.
9th Cliff Joyner
Raphael Martinez
David Henson
Tracy Sanders

Van Boening and Owen to Battle for Texas Open Hot Seat

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Van Boening and Owen to Battle for Texas Open Hot Seat
Texas Open / Round Rock, TX

by Skip Maloney, Inside POOL Magazine

Shane "The South Dakota Kid" Van Boening is battling Gabe "The Babe" Owen for the hot seat at the Texas State Open.

As Labor Day came to close at midnight Monday, the field of 128 entrants who had signed on for the $3,250-added men’s division of the Texas Open had been reduced to six players. Shane Van Boening and Gabe Owen were the last two standing on the winners’ side of the bracket and were poised to do battle for the hot seat.

Earlier in the evening, by identical 9-7 scores, Boening sent Charlie Bryant to the one-loss side, as Owen did the same to Ismael Paez. Waiting for Bryant and Paez on the one-loss side were Glenn Atwell and Shawn Putnam. Atwell had defeated David Henson in a double-hill battle to advance to the event’s final eight, as Putnam was eliminating Cliff Joyner 9-6. Atwell then dropped James Roberts into a tie for seventh, while Putnam did the same to James Davis, Sr.

Just after midnight, Atwell and Bryant were at the table for the struggle that would determine fifth place, as were Putnam and Paez,. The two winners will then meet in the quarterfinals.