Clouse Takes Missouri Open Win

/

PRO DIVISION: runner up dylan goodwin with champion greg clouse

Missouri Open Back in Action After Five Year Hiatus

The Missouri Open returned to action after a five-year hiatus yesterday in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, with thirteen players competing for three titles. In the Pro Division, tourney host Greg Clouse defended the home turf as he went 5-0 on the day with a 17-13 win in our final.

GOLD DIVISION: Runner-up justin Marciniak with with winner jason johnson

The Gold Division was actually a playoff for the third and fourth-place finishers in the Pro Division blocks. Jason Johnson made his return to MCA action to claim the Gold Playoff with a 17-16 win over Justin Marciniak. Johnson’s last 9WS tourney win was in 2014 when he won the Kansas City Open Gold title.

We were pleased to be able to offer a stand-alone Silver Division as five players worked through a round-robin format. Newcomer Caleb Dewitt powered through the field going 4-0 and pegging out in three games. Don Dowd was the runner-up with a 3-1 record.

In the Pro Division, Clouse claimed the A Block with a 3-0 record and missed out on a near peg out in his first game with a 31-7 win over Marciniak. Ron Millican claimed the second spot in the block with a 2-1 record to advance to the Pro Playoff. I was able to claim the B Block with a 3-0 record with Greg Adams securing the final playoff bid with a 2-1 record.

In the playoffs, I matched up with Millican and we both had opportunities to establish game control but struggled to make much progress. In the end, I was able to claw out a 15-7 win. In the other matchup, Clouse and Adams had a little more offense with Clouse advancing with a 19-16 win.

In the final, I missed a short clearing shot during a little out-game battle that gave Clouse the early advantage. I did get in during the mid-game and had a break going with my yellow ball, but failed at H11 and with my red clip still on H3. Clouse worked both his balls into the turn and with about five minutes left got one ball past the turn stake and had a one-point lead.

SILVER CHAMPION CALEB DEWITT

With red still partner dead, I did mount an attack from H3 with yellow as the blue and black balls were on court near H9 and H10. However, a short “takeoff” left a longish three-yarder that ended up hopping over the target ball. Clouse controlled the rest of the way and took the Pro Division win with a 17-13 final score.

NOTES:

  • The MCA has had a number of hot weather tournaments in July in the years, but the players were truly surprised to have 90+ degree event on May 6.

  • The Silver Division played with wider wickets for the first time and it may have been a little too generous. In the end, eight of ten games were peg-out wins.

  • The Pro win for Greg Clouse was his first MCA tourney win since the 2016 Missouri Open.

  • Clouse played in his 100th 9WS Pro game and now has 101 total.

  • Ron Millican scored his first Pro Division pegout.

  • Clouse now has 1,934 career points and is looking to be the third player to reach 2,000.

  • Justin Marciniak scored his first Pro Division win.

  • Jason Johnson now has 946 Pro Points and is looking to become just the seventh player to reach the 1,000 point club.

—Player Report by Dylan Goodwin