THREE Davao City cue masters open their campaign when the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) 2nd National Open Championship get underway today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Gandy Valle, last year's runner-up, All-Japan winner Lee Van Corteza and Mary Ann Basas are going to slug it out with the country's best pool masters in the six-day event which runs up to March 31.
Valle bowed to former World Pool king Alex Pagulayan in last year's finals, 13-6.
Pagulayanan will be back to defend his crown, although big names like Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante won't bge around because of prior commitments abroad.
This year's field also include reigning World Pool champion Ronato Alcanao, 2006 World Pool Leaque ruler Dennis Orcollo, Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Gabica and Warren Kiamco, who won the US Bar Table Championship 9-ball and 8-ball divisions just recently in Reno, Nevada.
Also playing are Rodolfo Luat, Ramil Gallego, Antonio Lining, Roberto Gomez, Jeffrey de Luna and Carlo Biado.
Aside from the men's championship, a women's event will also be staged with Basas listed as among the favorites in the company of Rubilyn Amit and Iris Rañola.
