Former champions among strong field for tournament

HUNTING BACK TO BACK: Defending champion Matt McInness finished runner-up in this year's tournament. PHOTO STUART MUNRO

By Jared Smith
Two former champions battled it out in the final of the Wanganui RSA's annual 8-Ball Open tournament on Sunday.
From a record field of 85 entries, section play was held on Saturday before splitting into the championship and plate grades on Sunday, with the playoffs taking place around 5pm.
Convener Dallas Rodgers was delighted with the spread of visitors, both men and a strong women's group.
There were five from the South Island, two from Kerikeri, while one expat had come back from Australia.
It was good for the town and the RSA club to have so many people arrive , Rodgers said.
"Everybody gets a nickel out of it, as they say."
In the end, Queenstown's Simon Singleton, a previous winner, took on Tokoroa's Matt McInness, the defending champion in the final, and picked up his second championship victory.
The event will return next February.