BECOMES THE SIXTH FILIPINO TO QUALIFY
JEFFREY "The Bull" De Luna overpowered Bugsy stalwart Joven Bustamante, 5-4, in the semis then blanked a British opponent, 5-0, in the finals to dominate the second of eight qualifying tournaments for the 2008 World 8-Ball Championship to be held at the Amir Billiards Club in Fujairah City, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday.
The 24-year-old De Luna, member of the newly-formed Philippine Billiard Development Foundation (PBDF) became the sixth Filipino to enter the tournament proper when the 64-man main draw of this annual World 8-Ball event gets it's first rack on April 18 and will ends on April 25.
"Pa birthday ko ito sa mahal kong si Ian (De Luna) at alay ko din sa bayan ang aking tagumpay," Jeff referring's the 24th birthday celebration yesterday by her wife Ian De Luna.
Ian, wife of Jeff commented, "The words that inspires him (Jeff), no matter how good you started it, its how you ended it," said Ian, also a professional women's billiard player.
Jeff also beat another Bugsy mainstay and 2007 World Pool Finalist Roberto Gomez, 6-3, in the bonus round. Last Saturday, Gomez won the first of eight qualifying rounds.
Jeff, 24, rose to prominence in billiard world after beating former two-time Asian Games 9-ball gold medallist Yang Ching-shun of Taiwan in the semi-finals of 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball competition. He settled for runner-up to his fellow PBDF player Antonio "Ga-Ga" Gabica.
Jeff also beat world no.1 and Bugsy top player Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo to win the 1st Manny Pacquiao International 9-Ball Open last year at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
By winning this second of eight qualifying tournaments, Jeff will join fellow qualifier Gomez and seeded players composed of defending champion Ronnie Alcano and runner-up Orcollo, as well as Gabica and Elvis Calasang, who both topped the qualifying round of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) recently.
Other Filipinos saw action in the qualifying round were 2004 World 8-ball runner-up Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo, former world 9-ball champion Alex Pagulayan, former Asian Games gold medalist Gandy Valle, reigning national champion Lee Van Corteza and veteran internationalists Warren Kiamco, Ramil Gallego, and Israel Rota.
Meanwhile, other world-renowned players seeded in the main draw are 2005 WPA World 9-ball and 8-ball champion Wu Chia-ching of Taiwan, 2007 WPA World 9-Ball champion Darryl Peach of England, reigning US Open 9-ball titlist Shane Van Boening of the United States, and former World Pool champions Ralf Souquet and Oliver Ortmann of Germany. The field will also have a lone female entry in Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, and a touch of royalty with the participation of Brunei's Crown Prince Muhtadee Billah.
contributed by MARLON BERNARDINO, edited by jovie sison
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