2014 NC Open, day 1

Posted 25 April 2014 to , by Jeff Soo
Brian Cumming looking for an NC Open three-peat. Photo by Jeff Soo

The 2014 North Carolina Open is underway with 23 entrants in two flights. Day 1 was devoted to the Championship Flight blocks, three blocks with six players each. The top two players from each block will advance to the best-of-three quarterfinals. The block third-place finishers plus one wildcard will contest a single-game play-in round to reach the quarterfinals.

Four rounds were scheduled for today, but the combination of early-season form and some interesting hoop approaches resulted in slower than expected play. Very few triple peels were completed and a few games remain to be played or finished. The top four seeds remain undefeated, Stuart Lawrence leading the pack on 4/4, +92, with two triples.

On Friday the Championship blocks will conclude and the playoffs and Plate will begin, while First Flight joins the fray. With just five players, First Flight will play a double round robin.