Billiards 10 Ball World Cup in Gensan
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 08 Feb 2015
The world?s finest and brightest cue artists display their wares anew this shore starting Feb. 15 when the 10-Ball World Cup unfurls at the SM Mall in General Santos City.
Sanctioned by the World Pool Association and sponsored by World Boxing Organization welterweight champion and billiards enthusiast Manny Pacquiao the prestigious 12-day classic, spread until February 26, will see no less than 100 of the world?s top players, headed by reigning titlist Niels Faijen of The Netherlands.
Also expected to vie for honors and riches in the tournament giving away a total $200,000 purse are Chang Yu Lung of Taiwan, Shane Van Boening of the United States, Li Hewen of China and Dennis Orcullo of the Philippines, who made up the top 5 best in the WPA ranking.
Also in the field, according to organizing committee member Ishi Caparras, are Albin Ouschan of Australia, Carlo Biado, also of the host country, Nick Ekonolmopouios of Greece, another Filipino Johan Gonzales and Chang Jung Lin of Taipei, who are ranked sixth to 10th in the world ranking.
Filipino pool legend Efren ?Bata? Reyes, singles winner of the recent MP 10-Ball International championship held only last December, fellow former world champions Francisco ?Django? Bustamante, Ronnie Alcano and Fil-Canadian Alex Pagulayan have all confirmed their participation.
Raymund Faraon, Warren Kiamco and Jeffrey Ignacio, also listed in the world?s top 20 players, along with MP International doubles champions Jordan Legaspi and Romeo Sevillano are also sure bets, Ms. Caparras assured during last Saturday?s Sports Sabado At Iba Pa radio program.
Outside of the top 100 world ranked pool aces, at least the best players from each billiards-playing countries not ranked by the WPA are seeded in the tournament proper scheduled Feb. 17-21, Ms. Caparras announced during the program, sponsored by Philippine sports Commission and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
?A two-day qualifying round Feb. 15-16 among the non-seeded campaigners where Pacquiao, a congressman representing Sarangani Province, precedes the World Cup proper,? Ms. Caparras said.
Ms. Caparras added though that the eight-division world boxing champion, who arrived yesterday from a three-week trip in the U.S. and England, is definitely vying for honors in the doubles side event set after the singles phase Feb. 22-26.
The two-tiered World Cup, according to Pacquiao in an earlier interview with this writer before embarking on his U.S.-Great Britain sojourn, is his way of projecting GenSan as a tourist attraction besides helping the sport relive its glory days here in the 80s and 90s.
Top prizes of $40,000 each await the singles and doubles winners.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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