Dickson City: Karen Corr Wins NAPT Tour Stop at Eagle Billiards

Karen Corr, Naomi Williams Brianna Miller, April Larson 

By: Erik Hjroleifson

This past weekend Eagle billiards in Dickson City, Pennsylvania played host to the fourth tournament on the newly founded NAPT North American women's tour. In the tours short history it has gained popularity among North Americas top female professionals and has drawn out big names such as Karen Corr on more than one occasion. For now all events have been held in pool rooms but have featured a healthy amount of added money at each stop and have been run with professionalism. Hopefully for the North American women this tour will continue to evolve and one day possibly replace or rival the fledgling W.P.B.A women's tour.

Based on a full field of 64 this weekends event drew 55 women from all over the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. hopes were headed up by multiple time World Champion Karen Corr along with former World Champion Loree Jon Hasson mixed in with young guns Brianna Miller and April Larson. Canada had very strong representation including multiple time Canadian Champions Naomi Williams and Brittany Bryant. The province of Quebec was also well represented with Veronique Menard, Valerie Bedard and Nathalie Chabot making the trip down south.

This weekends format was double elimination, race to 7, alternate break 10 ball played with the magic rack and W.P.A rules. Play began on Friday morning and the competition was fierce from the beginning match highlights from Friday and Saturday included:

Karen Corr 7 Naomi Williams 6
Karen Corr 7 Brittany Bryant   3
Naomi Williams 7 Caroline Pao 6
Lorre Jon Hasson 7 Jia Li 4
Veronique Menard 7 Krista Walsh 6

Twelve players returned to face off for the title on Sunday and the crowd at Eagle billiards was treated to more fine play by the finest female players in North America. Multiple time U.S. Junior National Champion Brianna Miller made a statement this weekend with her strongest finish in the open division to date.  She had a notable win over Loree Jon Hasson on her way to the winners side final against Karen Corr who defeated April Larson in the winners side semi final 7 3.

The winners side final match would go right down to the wire with Corr edging out Miller by a 7 6 score line. On the losers side Stacie Bourbeau defeated Jia Li one of the the tournament favourites ending up with a respectable 7th place finish. Brittany Bryant won her first two matches of the day before losing to April Larson leaving her with a strong fifth place finish.  The lone Canadian left was Naomi Williams who showed great heart all weekend after losing a tough hill hill battle with Corr on the winners side. She began Sunday with a 7 4 win against Janet Atwell then continued on with wins over Veronique Menard 7 5 and April Larson 7 6 after trailing 5 2. This set up a match with Brianna Miller which Miller won 7 4. The final proved to be another great match with Corr taking the title by the slimmest of margins 7 6.

Big kudos goes of to the NAPT and Eagle billiards for another excellent event. Next stop will be at Griffs in Las Vegas in early November.

1st Karen Corr $3200
2nd Brianna Miller $2200
3rd Naomi Willaims $1800
4th April Larson $1350
5th Brittany Bryant $1000
       Lorre Jon Hasson
7th Stacie Bourbeau $850
       Veronique Menard