Pinoy bets start strong in World 8-ball tourney

The feared Filipino cue artists preyed mostly on their American rivals to take early command in the US$3 million IPT World Open 8-Ball Championship at the Grand Sierra Hotel and Casino in Reno, Nevada.

Hall of Famers Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Cebuano shotmaker Warren Kiamco spearheaded the Pinoys' rampage at the start of week-long poolfest.

Reyes and Bustamante, who recently steered the Philippines to the historic first ever championship of the World Cup of Pool posted a perfect 4.0 points, so far, in the same way with Kiamco.

Reyes hammered out a 8-2 win over Austria's Gerda Hofstatter and then pounded Germany's Oezer Bulunmaz, 8-1, before crushing Americans Mike LeBron, 8-4 and Lee Heuwagen 8-0.

Bustamante notched similar impressive victories over Republic of Ireland's John Wims, 8-4, Roman Hybler of Germany, and Americans Michael David, 8-5, and Wade Crane, 8-4, while Kiamco outlasted defending champion Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, 8-3, before nipping Americans Steve Moore, 8-5, and Loree Jon Jones, 8-2, and Jim Raney, 8-1.

Marlon Manalo, Dennis Orcollo and Ronnie Alcano also stayed unbeaten in four matches, while Alex Pagulayan racked up three straight wins.

Manalo disposed off Americans Scotty Townsend, 8-4, Thomas Kennedy, 8-5, and Charlie Williams, 8-3, and Venezuela's Rafael Gonzalez via a deflating 8-0 decision, while Orcullo pulled off a 4-0 shutout over Americans Glenn Atwell, 8-5, Michael Massey, 8-2, and Jackie Broadhurst, 8-2, and Nick Varner, 8-5.

Alcano sandwiched an 8-3 conquest of Spain's David Alcaide with lopsided triumphs over Americans Wayne Catledge, 8-2, and Mary Kenniston, 8-0. He opened the fourth round with an 8-1 rout of Sarah Ellerby.



Pagulayan mirrored Orcollo's act with a three-game sweep of Americans Jon Kucharo (8-6), Charles Bryant (8-4) and Frank Alvarez (8-1).

Rodolfo Luat, on the other hand, holds a 3-1 win-loss record. He won over Americans Jeremy Jones, 8-1, and Ewa Laurance, 8-2, and Australian Quentin Hann, 8-2, but lost in his second match to compatriot Jose "Amang" Parica, 2-8.

Antonio Lining split his first four games. He won over Germany's Stefan Santl, 8-4, and James Walden, 8-5, but bowed to England's Philip Harrison, 7-8, and to Japan's Mori Manabu, 4-8.

A total of 200 players from around the world are taking part in the tournament which offers an unprecedented prize fund of US$3 million, with the champion taking home a staggering US$500,000 or P26.5 million.