Corteza top bet in UAE 8-ball tourney

MANILA, Philippines -  Lee Van Corteza, one of the most successful Filipino players last year, will compete in the biggest billiards event, the Etisalat World 8-Ball Pool Championship set April 4-10 at the Fujairah Tennis Club in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

Corteza is on a roll since winning the 2009 BSCP National Pool Championships and Villar Cup last December.

He is among the early favorites in the 64-man tournament which offers $28,000 to the champion.

 “I hope to do well in this event,” said Corteza, who lost to Mika Immonen of Finland during the finals of 2009 World Ten Ball last November in Pasay.

The other Filipinos expected to join the $100,000 event are former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes, Ronnie Alcano and Alex Pagulayan, Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Dennis Orcollo.

 Also competing are world’s top 10 players led by World No. 1 Mika Immonen of Finland, World No. 2 Ralf Souquet of Germany, World No. 3 Darren Appleton of England, World No. 5 Ricky Yang of Indonesia, World No. 6 Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, World No. 7 Niels Feijen of The Netherlands, World No. 8 Marcus Chamat of Sweden and World No. 9 Karl Boyes of United Kingdom.