Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Pagulayan leads quest
SUN.STAR Super Balita 9-Ball challenge champions Alex Pagulayan and Dennis Orcollo lead the team of Filipinos, who gun for slots to the Grand Finals of the Guinness 9-Ball Tour, which kicks off its penultimate round this weekend at the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou, China.
Pagulayan and Orcollo, who is the current world No. 1 cue artist will be joined by Joven Bustamante, Jeffrey De Luna and newcomer Elvis Calansag, hopes to make it to the Top 10.
The Top 10 players in the overall ranking, named the Order of Merit, which will be determined following the Guangzhou leg, will earn a trip to Jakarta, Indonesia next month for the grand finale.
Bustamante is currently ranked fourth, while Pagulayan leaped to sixth place following his win in Singapore. Antonio Gabica is ranked seventh while Orcollo is hanging on to the 10th spot in the Tour’s Order of Merit.
Dubbed as “The Lion,” Pagulayan roared his way to victory in the Lion City after beating compatriot Orcollo, 11–6, in the finals of the six-city event, which is organized by ESPN Star Sports.
Pagulayan’s victory marked the first time a Filipino won in the Asian 9-Ball circuit since Efren “Bata” Reyes triumphed in 2006.
The tough road ahead in China seems primed to be the most competitive leg this year for the Filipinos as Chinese Taipei will parade defending Tour champion Chang Jung Lin, 2005 WPA champion Wu Chia Ching, Yang Ching Shun and Wang Hung Hsiang.
Chang, who topped the year’s first three legs, is already assured of the number one spot while Yang and Wu are currently in second and third, respectively. Wang presently ranks fifth.
Hometown bets Fu Jian Bo and Li He Wen are also expected to give a tough challenge with the Chinese crowd ready to support them in their quest to barge into the Top 10. Fu and Li are currently in 11th and 12th places respectively, in the Tour’s Order of Merit.
Other than the points to qualify for the Jakarta final, the Guangzhou leg dangles a hefty cash purse of $50,000 or P2.2 million. (FROM PR)
