PAGULAYAN WINS NEGROS 9-BALL

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Puyat Sports event manager Ish Caparras, Negros Oriental 1st district rep. Josie Limkaichiong, Negros Oriental International 9-Ball Championships winner Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan and 2 nd district rep.George Arnaiz last Saturday at the Dumaguete Convention Center in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

ALEX "THE LION" PAGULAYAN ROARS TO WIN NEGROS 9-BALL

DUMAGUETE CITY---ALEX PAGULAYAN, Negros Champion. Banking on his experience and international exposure, Pagulayan added the Negros 9-Ball Tilt to his growing list of billiards honors by outclassing compatriot Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego, 13-9, Saturday night in the All-Filipino finals of the Negros Oriental International 9-Ball Championships at the Dumaguete Convention Center in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental here.

The 28-year-old Pagulayan, fondly called "The Lion" in the world of pool from Puyat Sports clawed back from a 2-4 deficit clustered seven straight racks to seize a comfortable 9-4 lead in the race-to13, alternate break format to pocket the $20,000 top prize of the tournament jointly organized by the Negros Billiard Stable and Puyat Sports and will be aired on Solar Sports from Nov.22-29.

A five-time Japan champion, Gallego, playing under the banner of Negros Billiard Stable (NBS) settled for runner-up and the pot of $10,000 in the event presented by businessman Julio "Jun-Jun" Sy Jr, owner of KOPIKO 3-In-1 coffee, Altus Communication, TAO and distributor of NOKIA Philippines and San Miguel Corporation in close cooperation with Negros Oriental Governor Emilio Macias II and Negros Oriental 1st district representative Josie Limkaichiong of La Libertad.

Pagulayan and Gallego, both received a Nokia 7710 courtesy of businessman Julio "Jun-Jun" Sy Jr.

"I was cautious all-throughout because I know Bebeng (Gallego) is a very tough opponent especially in the TV table final matches, but of course besides experience I had a better luck and he was not doing well in the end game after his magnificent performance at the start of the game," the Cabagan, Isabela native Pagulayan, the 2004 World Pool champion, said.

Although the match looked easy in the final canto, "The Lion" said he was not in top form at the start of the game when Gallego took a 4-2 commanding lead after winning the opening lag. Gallego virtually did himself in by fouling three times against Pagulayan that put the latter's 4-9 lead in the $61,400 total pot tournament jointly organized by NBS and Puyat Sports.

Negros Billiard Stable (NBS) coach/ manager Christopher Palses lauded Pagulayan's title feat, "He played like a true World Champion last night (Saturday), he is the man," said Palses who needed to travel four hours over land, to his head quarters in Bacolod City from Dumaguete City.

Earlier in the night, Pagulayan trounced another NBS bet Elmer Haya, 11-5, in the semi-final round to arrange a titular showdown with Gallego, winner over fellow NBS ace Jarry Pelayo, 11-4. Losing semi-finalist Pelayo and Haya, both unheralded players brought home $5,000 each.

Down from 8-11, Gallego had a chance to close the match at 9-11 count in the nineteen racks after Pagulayan's dry break but failed to capitalize. From there, Pagulayan never looked back as he ran-out the final rack for a 13-9 victory.

"He is good, it is just that I played much better," added Pagulayan, also the 2005 US Open champion.

"I learned a lot from Alex [Pagulayan]. He taught me also and I really lost to a much better player," admitted Gallego, whose victims in the weeklong tourney include BSCP founding chairman Edgar Acaba, 9-8, Rodolfo "Boy Samson" Luat, 9-8, European no.1 player Konstantin Stepanov of Russia, 9-1, ex-US Open champion Corey Deuel of the United States, 9-5, 1996 World 9-Ball Champion Ralf Souquet of Germany, 9-6, and current National Open Champion Lee Vann Corteza, 9-6, in the loser's bracket.

Gallego, who also posted an 11-0 run in this year's US Open in Virginia only lost here in Dumaguete City against Haya, an 8-9 heart-breaking lost in the opening round last Wednesday.

The Negros Oriental International 9-Ball Championships is the biggest-ever international standard event in the Visayas and outside Metro Manila which featured some of the world's best that includes a total of nine (9) World Pool Champions headed by Pagulayan, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Ronato Alcano of the Philippines, Johnny Archer of the United States, Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, Wu Chia-ching of Taiwan, Kunihiko Takahashi of Japan and Mika Immonen of Finland.


CEBU WILL HOST WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS '08?

DUMAGUETE CITY---THE WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS will remain in Philippines for three straight years. However, Manila based billiard fanatics have to raise money to fly to Cebu to watch the biggest 9-ball event in planet, the 2008 World 9-Ball Championship.

Cebu, also known as the Queen City of the South, already staged a dozen international sports events like Chess, Boxing, Triathlon, Judo, Arnis among others. In hosting the WPC, organizers need to raise at least P60 to P75-million.

"Bago mag finals ng WPC nagpakain sa amin si Pagcor chief (Efraim Genuino) at sinigurong ang World Pool Championships ay dito pa din sa Pilipinas gaganapin next year pero sa Cebu hindi sa Manila," said Ronato Alcano, the 2006 Philippines WPC Champion referring to the meeting with PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Efraim Genuino along with 1999 Cardiff WPC Champion Efren "Bata" Reyes, before the titular showdown between Gomez and Englishman Daryl Peach in the 2007 WPC.

"Para hindi na gumastos pa ang gobyerno natin, manager o mga players na dadayo pa sa ibang bansa para maglaro ng WPC," added Alcano.

In a separate interview, Morry, a Public Relation Officer (PRO) of Indonesian Pool Federation was disappointed the WPC will not be going to Bali, Indonesia because of financial challenges. Bali was supposed to host the WPC for 2008 and 2009.

"Pool sport is not popular than Badminton and Soccer in my country unlike the Philippines," said Morry, organizer for the annual Bali International 9-Ball Open, also an owner or a pool hall in Jakarta.

After the Philippines got the signal to host the WPC for three straight years, the Indonesian Pool Federation tried to negotiate with Matchroom Sports for the staging in Indonesia from 2008-09.

"Everything is ready, however our government does not have enough funds to sponsor the WPC, all the funds were already allotted to the Thailand Southeast Asian Games," she added.

"A possible co-sponsor maybe a beer but it should be our local TV will feed the blow by blow account of the WPC," said Morry, who flew to the Philippines to watch the WPC and Negros Oriental International 9-Ball before going back to her country on Tuesday.

Bintang, a local beer brand selling only in Indonesia wants a local TV channel to shown the billiard event. Guinness, an Irish stout beer also signified to sponsor the WPC event not to mention the San Miguel Beer.

According to Morry, Macau and Malaysia also signified their intention to host the WPC event.

Meanwhile, Gomez' camp wants a possible rematch with Peach who defeated him in the WPC finals, one of the world 9-ball championships most error laden match committed by both players. The promoter is eyeing at least total of P6-million to stage the said event.

TWO FINGERS PELAYO, 3 OTHERS BATTLE F4 IN NEGROS 9-BALL

DUMAGUETE CITY---JARRY PELAYO and Elmer Haya, two unheralded players have secured slots in the semifinals of the Negros Oriental International 9-Ball Championships
as they dispatched their counterparts late Friday at the Dumaguete Convention Center in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental here.

The 32-year-old Pelayo, who hails from Bacolod City fondly called "Putol" or "Two fingers" in the world of pool, who lost his three fingers in a fire cracker accident as a little boy, upset current National Open Champion Lee Vann Corteza, 9-4, while the 30-year-old Haya, a native of Molave, Zamboanga shocked 2004 World Pool Champion Alex Pagulayan, 9-5.

Pelayo and Haya, both playing under the banner of Negros Billiard Stable (NBS) are the only undefeated players in this $61,400 total pot tournament jointly organized by NBS and Puyat Sports and offering $20,000 to the champion in the event supported by Negros Oriental Governor Emilio Macias, Negros Oriental 1st district representative Josie Limkaichiong of La Libertad and businessman Julio "Jun-Jun" Sy Jr.

The runner-up here gets $10,000 while losing semi-finalist will walk away $5,000 each in this double-elimination format presented by NOKIA, KOPIKO 3-In-1 coffee, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and ALTUS Communication will be aired on Solar Sports on Nov.22-29.

Pelayo's road to the final four came from wins over Yang Ching-shun of Taiwan, 9-8, Rodolfo "Boy Samson" Luat, 9-3, and Elvis Calasang, 9-3, before beating Corteza, 9-4.While Haya's road to the semis came from wins over Ramil Gallego, 9-8, Satoshi Kawabata of Japan, 9-5, Leonardo Didal, 9-6, before downing Pagulayan, 9-5.

Pagulayan, the 2005 US Open 9-Ball Champion, acknowledged "The Lion" in pool world set up final four clash with Haya, who brought down 2001 World Pool Champion Mika Immonen of Finland, 9-7, in the loser's brackets while the Japan based Galleo, will face Pelayo in another feature semi-final round. Gallego defeated 1996 World Pool Champion Ralf Souquet of Germany, 9-6, and Corteza, 9-6, respectively to advance in the final four.

"First time namin ni Bebeng (Gallego) na magkalaban at normal lamang ang nararamdaman ko pero sa totoo lamang ay takot ako sa lahat at pressure kay Alex (Pagulayan), hindi pa ako nananalo sa kanya, 2-0 na at pabor kay Alex." said Pelayo, who thanked local billiards patron Jonathan Sy, president of the Negros Billiard Stable for supporting his campaign here.

Reports from MARLON BERNARDINO