WPC ROUND OF 16

FOUR PINOYS ENTER ROUND OF 16, ARE SEEDED IN 2008 WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

FOUR FILIPINO POOL sharks not only enjoying a guaranteed $4,500 each but already out right seed in the 2008 World Pool Championships for advancing in the round-of-16. This was bared yesterday Matchroom sports spokesman Luke Riches.

"Yes, the Four Filipino who makes it to the round-of-16 are already seeded in the main draw in the next edition of WPC," said Riches who also assured that the prestigious World 9-ball tourney will again be played in Philippines next year

According to the organizing committee, anyone player who advances in the round-of-16 is automatically seeded among the 128 player's field of the next year's WPC.

2004 WPC winner Alex Pagulayan, 2002 WPC runner-up Francisco "Django" Bustamante, 2007 Battle of Scandinavia 9-ball champion Roberto Gomez and 2007 Korea Pro Tour champion Joven Bustamante are the four Filipino players who made it to the "Sweet 16".

Meanwhile, the host country is already assured of at least a Pinoy in the quarter-final round today as Django and Alex were paired yesterday.

Django beat Nick Van de Berg of the Netherlands, 10-8, in the round-of-32 to arrange his round-of-16 showdown with Pagulayan, winner over Louis Condo of Australia, 10-2.

Joven on the other hand stunned 2005 WPC winner Wu Chia-ching of Taiwan, 10-8, to post the biggest upset win in the round-of-32 while Gomez clobbred another WPC winner Chao-Fong pang of Taiwan, 10-2.

As of press time, Joven takes on 2006 Doha Asian games 8-ball gold medalist Satoshi Kawabata of Japan while Gomez goes up against Niels Feijen of the Netherlands.(MARLON BERNARDINO).