Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Corteza bags $8T in Turning 9-Ball tilt
DAVAOUEÑO Lee Van “The Slayer” Corteza emerged from the One Loss bracket to win the 2007 Turning Stone Classic 9-Ball tournament at the Turning Stone Hotel and Casino in Verona, New York yesterday.
Corteza defeated American Louie Ulrich, 13-7, to pocket the $8,000 top prize of the total $25,000 pot money.
The 28-year-old Corteza sprang out of his loss to countryman Dennis “Robo-cop” Orcollo in the sixth round to slay Ullrich who was at the hot seat earlier after defeating Orcollo.
Corteza was hot early erecting an early 12-2 lead to be at the top of the hill.
A scratch on his break, denied him to punctuate his victory in the 15th rack.
Ullrich obliged, but with a 10-rack lead, he only managed to clean up five racks before his break in the 20th rack went dry.
With the opportunity given, Corteza found no problem cleaning up the table to win the top prize.
It was a hard labor for the Negros Billiard Stable superstar as he lost to Orcollo, 9-6, in Round 6.
However, he managed to sneak past through the One Loss bracket as he defeated Neils Feijen of the Netherlands 9-3, then over Ralf Souquet of Germany, 9-5, and then with a 9-2 victory over Orcollo to take the second slot in the finals.
Orcollo, who lost to Ullrich in the seventh round could not find his rhythm that won him the game over Corteza in their sixth round match in just 22 minutes.
Corteza earlier beat Redgie Cutler, 9-6, Holden Chin 9-1, Mike Dechaine 9-6, Tnoy Chohan 9-3 and Tony Robles 9-2 before losing to Orcollo in the sixth round, 9-6, in the winner’s bracket.
Ullrich pocketed $5,600 while Orcollo took home $3,800.
The other Filipino masters who joined the tournament were double world champion Ronato Alcano, who placed 26th after losing to Jose “Amang” Parica in the third round, got $3,500 while Parica finished at the 17th place along with seven other cue masters took home $500. (RCM)
