Kjorsvik Awesome in Austin
Hunter Classics Tour / Austin, TX
By Rick Davis
The Hunter Classics Tour kicked off the 2008 season with their first billiard tour stop at Fast Eddies in Austin, TX, where Norway’s Line Kjorsvik bested the 64-player field to take the title undefeated over the February 16-17 weekend.
On the winners’ side Kjorsvik started hot and blazed through five matches, including a 7-4 win over previous event winner, top finisher, and tour regular Tara McCracken, to reach the hot seat match. Matching Kjorsvik on the other half of the chart was Lisa Marr, who also took five wins and propelled herself to the hot seat match after drilling Helen Hayes 7-0. In the hot seat match Kjorsvik refused to let go and quickly built a lead and extended it for a 7-3 win.
Over on the one-loss side Kyu Yi and Amanda Lampert were racing towards each other after each took an early loss. Yi took six matches while Lampert took only one less before they clashed in the top eight. At the same time Melinda Bailey slid into the quarterfinals after a handful of matches that ended with the elimination of McCracken. Catching up to Bailey, Lampert knocked out Yi 7-4, eliminated Hayes, then fought down to the wire against Bailey before defeating her double-hill in the quarterfinals. Lampert had made an incredible run, although Marr had her number, and after eliminating Lampert 7-1 it was clear she wanted another shot at the title.
With the finals a rematch of the hot seat match Marr was looking to avenge her early loss and hopefully end this match the opposite way. As the score reached 6-5 in favor of Kjorsvik it could have been anyone’s game, but when the final ball fell Kjorsvik had defeated Marr again, this time 7-5, to earn the title from the Hunter Classic’s Tour first 2008 stop.
Results:
1st Line Kjorsvik
2nd Lisa Marr
3rd Amanda Lampert
4th Melinda Bailey
5th Tara McCracken
Helen Hayes
