ONCE again Filipino billiards masters Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan and Francisco "Django" Bustamante are aiming to bring honor and glory to the country when they compete in the upcoming 2008 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters slated on May 9 to 11 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
It shall be recalled that Pagulayan failed to advance in the knock-our stage in the inauguration leg of 2008 Guinness 9ball tour last Feb. 29 to March 2 in Taipei, Taiwan while Bustamante defeated American Corey Deuel in the One-on-One match, $5,000 winner take all 2nd IPT 8-Ball Challenge in United States last January.
The Filipino celebrities duo also schedule to play in the 1st QC 9-Ball Open and Japan 9-Ball Open this month before the World Pool Masters.
Barry Hearn, chairman of event promoters Matchroom Sports said that Pagulayan, the 2004 WPA World Pool Champion and 2005 US Open 9-Ball Champion will square off giant killer Mark Gray of England, while the former world no.1 Bustamante goes up against up-and-coming Italian player Bruno Muratore of Italy in the first round.
"With four World 9 Ball Champions, six US Open Champions and a host of other title-holders in the field, I believe this will be the toughest ever World Pool Masters," said Hearn in a press statement.
This is the first time in the competition's 16-year history that it will be staged in America and 16 of the world's best players will be vying for the $62,000 prize fund.
"We will have winner breaks, race-to-eight matches on the toughest equipment and it will take a series of fantastic performances over the three days to lift this prestigious trophy." he added.
Luke Riches, spokesman for Matchroom Sport commented. "This is fantastic, the fact that the event is coming to the USA for the first time. I'm sure there will be big crowds, lots of excitement and drama and it will be a great competition."
Also competing in the event are defending champion Thomas Engert and1999 WPA World Pool Champion Ralf Souquet of Germany, 2001 WPA World Pool Champion Mika Immonen of Finland, 2007 WPA World Pool Champion Daryl Peach and 2006 Mosconi Cup player Imran Majid of England, 2007 Derby City Classic 9-Ball Champion Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, 2007 US Open 9-Ball Champion Shane Van Boening and Rodney Morris of the United States and 2007 WPA World Junior of Pool Champion Ko Pin-yi of Chinese-Taipei, who brought downed another Filipino ace Dennis Orcollo in a come from behind victory, 15-14, to snare the 2008 Thailand Brunswick 9-Ball Open tiara. MARLON BERNARDINO
Here's the complete schedule:
Schedule (seeded players in brackets)
Friday, May 9
Afternoon session.
Round One
1pm - (1) Thomas Engert (Germany) v Rodney Morris (USA)
2pm - Mark Gray (England) v Alex Pagulayan (Philippines) (8)
3pm - (5) Francisco Bustamante (Philippines) v Bruno Muratore (Italy)
Evening session
World Pool Trickshot Masters (featuring six players)
Saturday, May 10
Afternoon session
Round One
1pm - Imran Majid (England) v Shane Van Boening (USA) (4)
2pm - (3) Ralf Souquet (Germany) v Ko Pin-yi (Chinese Taipei)
3pm - Tony Drago (Malta) v Niels Feijen (Holland) (6)
Evening session
Round One
7pm - (7) Corey Deuel (USA) v Christian Reimering (Germany)
8pm - Mika Immonen (Finland) v Daryl Peach (England (2)
Quarter-final
9pm - Engert or Morris v Gray or Pagulayan
Sunday, May 11
Afternoon session
Quarter-finals
1pm - Bustamante or Muratore v Majid or Van Boening
2pm - Souquet or Ko PY v Drago or Feijen
3pm - Deuel or Reimering v Immonen or Peach
Evening session
7pm - Semi-final 1
8pm - Semi-final 2
9pm - Final
Contributed by MARLON BERNARDINO
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