Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Corteza gains in US Open By Marianne Saberon-Abalayan
DAVAO City's Lee Vann Corteza crushed Abdullah El Yousef, 11-5, to advance to the third round along with four other Filipinos in the 33rd Annual US Open 9-Ball Championship at the Chesapeake Convention Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Corteza, who hails from Mintal, earlier took a bye. The Davao cue artist, a consistent Southeast Asian (SEA) Games medalist and former Turning Stone New York champion, will battle Tony Chohan in the next round of the Winners' Side 4.
Former two-time world champion Ronnie Alcano of Laguna overwhelmed Matt Clatterbuck, 11-4, in the second round after he sent Mike Brown to the losers' bracket in the opener of the $250,000 cuefest.
Cebu City native Warren Kiamco also entered the Winners Side 4 after dispatching Jason Klatt, 11-5. He was set to trade skills against Josh Lewis in the third round.
Francisco "Django" Bustamante, however, has yet to see action in the same group opposite Keith Brinton.
In Winners Side 2, Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego was the lone Filipino survivor after Leonardo Andam and Joven Alba crashed out and were relegated to the losers' side.
Gallego whipped Sam Monday, 11-3, then nipped Gabe Owen, 11-0, to arrange a third round collision with Tony Robles.
Andam bowed to Markus Juva, 8-11, while Alba succumbed to Chris Melling, 9-11.
US-based Jose "Amang" Parica edged Aki Heiskanen, 11-9, to meet David Broxson in the next round while Rodolfo Luat demolished Louis Ulrich, 11-2.
A whopping $40,000 awaits the champion of the prestigious meet.
Reigning world 9-ball champion Darryl Peach, former world titlist Mika Immonen, four-time US Open winner Earl Strickland, World number 2 Niels Feijen and Charlie Williams also barged into the third round.
Immonen and Williams will form part of the international selection set to compete in the Q.C. Invasion: Quezon City-Philippines vs the World Grand Billiards Showdown on December 2 to 4 at the Trinoma Mall.
Alcano, Bustamante, Corteza and Kiamco, meanwhile, will lead the charge for the eight-member Team QC-Philippines.
