Stalls Goes Undefeated to Claim TOP Tour Season Opener in Rocky Mount

Phil Stalls wins his first event on the TOP Tour, defeating Delton Howard in a double-hill final match.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Phil Stalls went undefeated to win the season opener of the TOP (The Open Player) Tour at Dot's Cue Club in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Stalls faced a field of 34 competitors ranked '7 and below' and defeated Delton Howard in a double-hill final match to claim the title. The tournament featured a high percentage of close matches, with nearly half of the matches going either double-hill or resulting in a shutout or single-rack win.

Why it matters

This win marks Stalls' first event victory on the TOP Tour, an affiliated but un-handicapped tour of the Q City 9-Ball Tour where Stalls had previously won the championship. The high number of close matches and competitive field at this season opener suggests the TOP Tour will provide an exciting and challenging season of pool competition.

The details

Stalls faced six opponents on his undefeated run to the title, defeating them with a pattern of 1-6-6-1-6-6 racks. He opened with a 1-rack win over Shanna Hall, then had two straight double-hill matches against Travis Etheridge and Jonathan Bouchillon. Stalls then gave up 1 rack to Jonathan Brockman before facing off against Dot's Cue Club owner Robert West in the hot seat match, prevailing in another double-hill battle to claim the hot seat.

  • The tournament was held on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
  • It was the season opener for the TOP (The Open Player) Tour.

The players

Phil Stalls

The undefeated tournament champion who won his first event on the TOP Tour.

Delton Howard

The runner-up who faced Stalls in the double-hill final match.

Robert West

The owner of Dot's Cue Club, which hosted the tournament.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The next event on the TOP Tour will be the $1,000-added South Carolina Bar Box Open, scheduled for March 13-15 and hosted by Action Billiards in Inman, SC.

The takeaway

This tournament showcased the competitive nature of the TOP Tour, with a high percentage of close matches and an undefeated champion emerging from a field of 34 skilled players. The tour's growth and the success of players like Phil Stalls suggest an exciting season of pool competition ahead.