RP 9-Ball Open billiards begins
Inquirer
Last updated 02:25am (Mla time) 10/12/2006
Published on Page A23 of the October 12, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
BACK IN FULL force after fruitful stints overseas, the country’s top pool aces will serve as major attractions of the 2006 Philippine 9-Ball Open which starts today at the Casino Filipino in Parañaque City.
Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Dennis Orcollo, all winners in their last tournaments abroad, are the favorites in the P1.3-million tournament organized by Solar Sports and offering P500,000 to the champion.
Reyes, unbeaten in his last three tournaments, the legendary Jose “Amang” Parica, 2004 World 9-ball kingpin Alex Pagulayan and 2005 World Pool semifinalist Marlon Manalo make up the elite group of invited players.
Their opening rivals will be known after the special drawing of lots at 2 p.m., according to Fil-9 project head Eric Centeno.
The 43-year-old Bustamante, the defending champion, will face No. 32 John Salazar while Orcollo will tangle with No. 31 Alladin Duloa.
“This is a tough tournament so I just hope to do my best,” said the former world No. 1 Bustamante, who successfully defended his title in the 2006 Bali Open in Bali, Indonesia, last month.
Bustamante also teamed up with Hall of Famer Reyes in winning the inaugural World Cup of Pool in Newport, South Wales, which started the victory run of Reyes in late August.
Reyes resumed his winning ways at the IPT World Open Championship in Las Vegas where he captured the biggest purse of $500,000 before topping the fourth and final leg of the SMB Asian Tour in Jakarta.
The 27-year-old Orcollo, the acknowledged money game king in the local pool circuit, is fresh from winning the 2006 World Pool League Invitational in Warsaw, Poland.
Antonio Gabica, the 2004 Fil-9 Ball Open winner, will meet No. 25 Richard Pornelosa with the winner facing the survivor of the match between No. 23 seed Antonio Lining and one of the four invited players.
by Marlon Bernardino