Bata, Django head RP bid in Asian 9-ball

Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante spearhead the country’s bid in this year’s San Miguel Asian 9-ball Tour which kicks off its four-stage circuit beginning today at the Nguyen Du Sports Hall in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

Reyes, the former world 9-ball champion who dominated this event in 2004, and Bustamante, the former world No. 1, will be joined in the hunt for fame and fortune by the finest cue masters in the region, including defending tour champion Yang Ching Shun and 2005 world 9-ball titlist Wu Chia-Ching.

Twenty other top pool artists are in the fold, each raring to come out strong in this three-day event ending Sunday which stakes qualifying points for the 2006 World Pool Championships slated in Manila in November.

Games will be telecast live on STAR Sports at 7 tonight and at 12 noon tomorrow and at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

The Tour is the only ranking tour in Asia for players to qualify to the World Pool Championship. The top 10 finishers at the end of this year’s Tour will automatically enter the annual event featuring the world’s top players.

"We are very excited to be cueing off this year’s San Miguel Asia 9 Ball tour in the vibrant and beautiful city of Ho Chi Minh. We are now in our fourth successful year since launching Asia’s premier pool tour together with San Miguel and are looking forward to exciting live action on Star Sports over the next few months." said Harvey Davis, senior director of ESPN STAR Sports Event Management Group. 

Now in its fourth year, the San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour is offering a top prize of $10,000 for the champion of each leg and $5,000 to the runner-up.

Last year saw Yang claim the Kaohsiung leg and finish runner-up in two other legs while Gandy Valle, Ronnie Alcano and Reyes reigned supreme in Singapore, Manila and Jakarta, respectively.

This marks the second time in the tour’s history that Ho Chi Minh City will play host a leg of the San Miguel Asian 9-Ball. The tour also made a stop in Vietnam’s capital in 2004. At this opening leg of 2006, the host country is represented by Thanh Nam Nguyen, Chi Dong Luong, Trong Khai Vu and Phuong Thao Nguyen.

The San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour is sanctioned by the Asian Pocket Billiard Union and organized by ESPN STAR Sports’ Event Management Group (EMG). San Miguel Beer is the title sponsor for the Tour. Iwan Simonis and Aramith supply the official tablecloth and official balls, respectively. Brunswick Metro is the official pool table. STAR Sports is the official broadcaster.