THE top Filipino finishers at the recently held Philippine Open Pool Championships will fly to China for the 2009 (JUS) World 9-Ball China Pudong Tang Cheng Open.

RP Open pool finalist Jeffrey de Luna and semifinalist Demosthenes "Plong-Plong" Pulpul will compete at the Pudong Yuanshen Gymnasium in Shanghai from June 11 to 14.

According to BilliardPhilippines.com, the Cagayan de Oro native Pulpul and de Luna will be joined by 2006 Doha Asian games 9-ball gold medalist Antonio Gabica and 2005 World Pool Championship semifinalist Marlon Manalo.

Jerico Banares, the 2008 WPA World Junior runner-up, will also play in the China event.

The China Pudong Tang Cheng Open will feature a double round robin for the race-to-nine in the last 64, and a single knock-out affair in the last 32.

The champion will bring home $40,000 while the runner-up will get $20,000. The losing semifinalists, meantime, will receive $5,500 each.