Pinoy cue masters dazzle in U.S. Open 9 Ball
The Filipino contingent at the 2012 U.S. Open 9 Ball Championship in Chesapeake, Virginia is in dead stroke and zeroing in on the title.
Efren Reyes, Dennis Orcollo, Alex Pagulayan, Jose Parica, and Ronnie Alcano are all unbeaten as of press time in this double-elimination tournament, considered to be the most prestigious in the United States. The winner takes home U.S. $25,000.
Unfortunately Francisco Bustamante will have to wait for next year to gain his first U.S. Open, as he was sent to the One-loss bracket by Mika Immonen via an 11-8 scoreline. The Tarlac legend was then eliminated by another Pinoy, Warren Kiamco, in the Loser's Bracket 11-10.
Kiamco then bowed out in his next match, 11-6 to Spain's David Alcaide. Kiamco had been enjoying a torrid run in the United States, winning three tournaments.
Immonen is still alive in the One Loss side. He is slated to play Louis Ulrich.
Efren Reyes is on course to win his second U.S. Open after winning his first in 1994. He outclassed George McLanahan 11-1, whitewashed Bobby Petrocelli 11-0, then edged Germany's Thorsten Hohmann 11-9.
Two-time defending champ Darren Appleton of England was next, and Reyes came out on top in a thrilling hill-hill 11-10 showdown. The Englishman missed the one ball in the last rack and Reyes fortuitously fluked in the nine for victory.
It was sweet revenge for Reyes. Just the week before Appleton had defeated Reyes 15-12 in a challenge match.
Appleton is still alive for an unprecedented third straight title after beating American Oscar Dominguez 11-9 in the One-Loss side. He now is set to play Earl Strickland in a do-or-die game.
Reyes then defeated 18-year old Chinese prodigy Wang Can 11-7. Reyes now meets Dennis Orcollo in the final match of their winner's side bracket.
After drawing a bye in the first round, Orcollo disposed of Rory Hendrickson 11-6, then sent England's Mark Gray to the One Loss side by beating him 11-7.
American Mike Davis was Orcollo's next victim, as he went down 11-5. Then Orcollo matched up with Niels Feijen, the former world Straight Pool champ. Orcollo would not be denied as he came out on top 11-8 to arrange his meeting with Reyes.
Orcollo has been in form this year. Last month he won the China Open.
Pagulayan also drew a bye in his first match, then sent U.S.-based Pinoy Santos Sambajon to the One Loss side via an 11-9 victory.
The Filipino Canadian then defeated 2007 World 9 Ball Champ Daryl Peach of England 11-10 in the next round.
Pagulayan then dropped Chang Jung Lin of Chinese Taipei 11-6 to set up a clash with Johnny Archer. The American is also aiming for his second U.S. Open title after winning in 1999.
Top Chinese Taipei players rarely play in this event but this year Chang is participating along with Ko Pin Yi. Ko was eventually eliminated deep into the One Loss Bracket via 11-4 loss to British-born Indian Raj Hundal.
Ronnie Alcano has also been on song in Chesapeake. The two-time runner up at this event hurdled Mike Delawder 11-9 in his first outing then topped Jason Michas 11-6.
Alcano then faced a stiff test in Alcaide in the next round but won 11-10. Alcano then easily dispatched Finland's Mika Immonen and China's Li He Wen by identical 11-4 scorelines.
The Calamba, Laguna two-time world champ now dukes it out with American Shane Van Boening. He has been on form in this trip to the USA since he recently won a tournament in Louisiana.
The South Dakotan got in the table down 4-6 to Chris Melling of England in the previous match. After Melling missed the one ball, Van Boening ran out the rack then broke and ran out the next five racks for victory.
Amang Parica is also undefeated after wins over Brett Stottlemeyer (11-1), Jeff Clare (11-4), Donny Mills (11-9), Raj Hundal (11-10), and Strickland (11-5). Like Alcano, Parica has also lost in the Final match of this event twice.
Next up for Parica is Scottish youngster Jayson Shaw.
Carlo Biado, another top Filipino player, lost his last One Loss side match to China's Dang Jun Hui and is out of the tournament.
Israel Rota of the Philippines was ousted in the Loser's Bracket by American Shawn Putnam 11-3. This came after Rota showed the door to Pinoy vet Monching Mistica 11-5.
It was not Ralf Souquet's week as the German slumped to his second loss to Brandon Shuff, 11-8.
To watch the 2012 U.S. 9 Ball Championship on Pay-Per View online click on http://www.accu-stats.com/liveppv.html. You can follow Bob Guerrero on Twitter @bhobg333.
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
More Yahoo! PH Sports blogs:
NCAA Sudden Death: History will be repeated but in whose favor?
Disappointment as MVP backs out of POC elections
Ronnie Alcano wins Louisiana 9 Ball event
Despite Banal's loss, ALA Promotions a big winner in Pinoy Pride
