The 2024 Tulsa Classic held at LaFortune Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over Labor Day weekend proved to be a popular event. The tournament ran Friday, August 30 through Monday, September 2 and attracted 36 total players, with local players indicating it was the largest field in at least 10 years for a Tulsa tournament.
Read MoreUSCA Nine-Wicket Croquet Nationals Final Day Report
Nick Zink (left) and Matt Smith (right) received doubles champion trophies.
Tournament director Matt Griffith (center) presented.
Six partner teams battled it out starting at 8:00 a.m. on the final day of the USCA Nine-Wicket Nationals, but in the end Matt Smith and Nick Zink of Warrensburg, Missouri made a comeback win to take the doubles title over Matt Griffith and Billy Bob Breeden in a 27-23 thriller (more details to come on this match later).
In the first round, John Warlick and Paula Mol were able to advance with a win over George Cochran and Howard Menzel. In the other match, defending doubles champs Matt Baird and Art Parsells defeated Don Brooks and John Nichols.
In the semi-finals, Warlick and Mol battled Smith and Zink, but lost a close one 23-20. On the other field, Griffith and Breeden survived against Baird and Parsells 30-29. It featured an interesting final turn with Parsells needing to score 14-point wicket and 15PW for the tie. Hitting the stake would have secured a win. After splitting his partner yellow ball and clearing 14PW, Baird and Parsells discussed and opted for a takeoff to 15PW. Unfortunately the takeoff was a little long and created a short angle shot that Parsells attempted but missed. That secured the one-point victory for Griffith and Breeden.
In the third place game Baird and Parsells defeated Warlick and Mol.