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DCC: Morris Takes Fatboy 10B
Jan 28, 2011, 11:54 PM

Morris pocketed $9,000 with four straight wins in a brutal Fatboy field. (Photo courtesy David Thomson-mediumpool.com)

ELIZABETH, Ind. -- In just three years, the Fatboy 10-Ball Challenge has grown into perhaps the biggest side event in the 24/7 madness of the Derby City Classic. This year, the $10,000-added, single-elimination event that attracts 16 of the best players in the world pitted recent Mosconi Cup rivals Rodney Morris and Darren Appleton in the race-to-15 final.

And in a small measure of revenge, the American took the $9,000 first-place prize with a 15-11 victory on the TV table in the Accu-Stats Arena. The two traded racks for the first half of the match, with Morris running out from the break for a 7-6 lead. From there, the Hawaiian rolled to an 11-7 advantage.

Morris continually kept Appleton at arm's length, eventually reaching the hill, 14-11. Appleton then appeared set to run out to close with two racks, but fumbled an attempt on the 9 ball in the side. Morris easily cleared the final two balls for the victory.

While the 9 ball event, the final main tournament, kept chugging along, Alex Pagulayan furthered his status as a heavy favorite for the Master of the Table, the $20,000 prize that goes to the top performer in the three divisions. After winning the banks event and finishing third in one-pocket, the Filipino is still alive after six rounds of 9-ball.

Thirty-five players have advanced to round 7, while four matches remain to be played in round 6. Pagulayan currently has 220.1 points, with Shane Van Boening (150.1) and Earl Strickland (136.7) the closest competitors. If Van Boening takes the 9-ball title, he will finish with 240.1 points. In all probability, Pagulayan could ice the Master of the Table with one more victory.