MANILA, PHILIPPINES---ALL eyes are focused on reigning national open champion Lee Vann Corteza when the 2007 Cebu 9-ball Open gets going on July 27 to 29 in SM City-Cebu Trade Hall in Cebu City.
This after reigning WPA 9-ball and WPA 8-ball champion Ronato Alcano and 2007 BCA Enjoypool.com winner Dennis Orcollo skipped the richest event so far in Southern Philippines which offers a cash prize of PhP160,000 to the champion.
The 34-year-old Alcano will shoot his Guinness TV commercial before the end of the month in Jakarta, Indonesia while the 28-years-old Orcollo is busy competing in the US pool circuit in the United States.
Other big names in Philippines billiards who signified their intention to play in the Cebu Open were 2004 World 9-ball champion and 2005 US Open 9-ball ruler Alex Pagulayan, 2007 Oslo, Norway Battle of Scandinavia 9-ball kingpin Roberto Gomez, 2006 Asian 9-ball tour champ Gandy Valle and 2004 Fil-9 ball Open ruler Antonio Gabica.
The 28-year-old Corteza, top player of Negros Billiard Stable (NBS) is looking to win his second major title this year after beating Marlon Manalo in the finals of the 2nd BSCP 9-Ball Open last March.
"Talagang pinaghandaan ko itong Cebu Open, magandang preparasyon ko na din ito para sa last leg ng Guinness sa Shanghai, China." said Corteza, playing under the banner of Negros Billiard Stable (NBS) boss Jonathan Sy and Christopher Palses.
Corteza just arrived last week after competing in the Japan PBA 9-ball tournament where he landed in the semis.
Corteza, is the only Filipino cue master to reach a finals berth in the inauguration of Guinness 9-ball tour in Jakarta last April, is also aiming for a crack in the top 10 order tour of merit for the Grand Finale on August 31 to September 2 in Bali, Indonesia with the champion getting the lion’s share of US$36,000.
Corteza, who hails from Davao City, together with Pagulayan, Alcano and Gomez are the official Philippines’ representative in the fifth and final leg of Guinness 9-ball tour in Shanghai, China on August 3 to 5.
Corteza and Alcano were also invited to play in the 2007 International Challenge of Champions’ US$50,000 winner take all on August 9-10 in Mohegan Suns Casino in Unscaville, Connecticut, USA and 2007 Turning Stone 9-ball on August 16-19 in Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New Jersey. (Report from MARLON BERNARDINO)
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