Thursday, May 08, 2008 Villar launches 1st pool tourney
THE first Manny Villar Cup Billiards Tournament was successfully launched by Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. last Tuesday at the Sports Center of Starmall in Alabang, Muntinlupa.
The five-day pool challenge is participated by world-pool legends Efren "Bata" Reyes, Ronnie Alcano, Dennis Orcollo, Robert Gomez, Francisco Bustamante, Alex Pagulayan, Lee Van Cortez, Warren Kiamco, among others.
Ushering the ceremonial break, Villar expressed his all-out support not only for the sport itself which is his personal indoor activity, but also for the amateur and top ranked cue players whom he believes will continue to give honor for the country.
Attesting to the senator's passion to billiard is Aristeo "Putch" Puyat who owns the Puyat Sports and a member of the co-organizers of the event Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP).
Puyat said, Villar is a pool enthusiast. He also disclosed that world-pool marvel Reyes is the lawmaker's personal choice of contender and trainer.
For the opening matches at the first day of the cup, 2007 Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist Benjie Guevarra galvanized the entire sports center as he toppled former double world champion Alcano (The Volcano).
Iron-willed Guevarra successfully trounced Alcano with an 8-4 score at the end of their thrilling match which advance him to higher level facing rising star Elmer Haya of the Negros Billiards Stable of Jonathan Sy.
Alcano, meanwhile, must avoid another downfall to remain on the track leading to the title and top prize of P400,000.
Joining Guevarra in the winning rim during the opening matches were current world no. 1 Orcollo beating Ricky Zerna, 8-3; former Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Lining crushing Mark Mendoza, 8-5; and another top young prospect in Russian Petiza defeating Panfilo Damuag at 8-2.
Guevarra who is one of the country's best snookers belongs to the star-studded Bugsy Promotions owned by Perry Mariano.
Also promising cue players of Bugsy, namely, Mike Takayama, Emil Martinez, Michael Feliciano and Renemar David showed their knack as they succeeded their respective matches contending for the P200,000 top prize for the Billiards Idol Sipag at Tiyaga Edition.
Meanwhile, two professional cue players from Davao are also attempting to bring home the almost half a million pot prize. Corteza's first match favored him toppling one of top lady pool players Mary Ann Basas with a final score of 8-4. While, international billiard champion Gandy Valle will try to bring something off on his scheduled match on Wednesday.
Corteza recently won the Turning Stone Classic Championship in Verona, New York while Valle succeeded Ocean State 9-Ball Championship also in New York and also hold the title of Magnificent Seven in Cebu City.
Other billiard cue players vying for the Villar Cup are Antonio Lining, Rodolfo Luat, Ramil Gallego, Eduardo Villanueva and Roel Esquillo and another eminent woman player Rubilen Amit.
As a side tournament during the final day of the event, legends Reyes and Alcano will battle in a race-to-four rotation match which is also considered as the most awaited part of the tournament.
Villar said as billiard becomes the most popular game among Filipinos he organized his own tournament relative to his campaign to gear youth towards sports and discourage them to venture into illegal drugs. (JRDB/Sunnex)
