Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Villar to stage 9-Ball in Davao
TOP Filipino cue masters will come to Davao City, as the First Senate President Manny Villar Cup Billiards Tournament will be staged during the Kadayawan Festival in August.
Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) secretary-general Gandy Valle, a 1998 Bangkok Asian Games gold medallist, came home last week for two reasons.
"I'm here to visit my family and to also check the possibilities of Davao's hosting of the Villar Cup. The office of Villar called and asked me about the schedule of the Kadayawan. They want to hold the Davao leg of the Villar Cup during the annual festival," Valle said in a phone conversation with Sun.Star Davao recently.
The second leg of the cuefest, which offers more than P1 million in total prize money, is set on June 20 to 22 in Cebu City.
BMPAP president lawyer Vic Rodriguez said they would also hold a similar leg in Davao, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Tuguegarao, among others.
Reigning World Pool Masters champion Alex Pagulayan, two-time world champion Ronnie Alcano, current world number 1 Dennis Orcoolo, 2007 World Pool runner-up Roberto Gomez, reining national champion Lee Vann Corteza of Davao City, former world number 1 Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Villar Cup first leg titlist Warren Kiamco are among the favorites in the Cebu leg supported by Sun.Star SuperBalita, Puyat Sports, Bugsy Promotions and Negros Billiards Stable.
Most of these big guns are also likely to compete in the Davao leg. (MLSA)
