Pagulayan best in Swanson tilt

MANILA, Philippines - Alex Pagulayan held on to beat Oscar Dominguez, 11-9, in the finals and capture the 16th Annual Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball crown at the Hard Times Billiards in Belflower, California recently.

Pagulayan, a former world 9-ball champion, looked headed for a runaway win when he zoomed to a 10-3 lead in the race-to-11 title duel. But the Fil-Canadian wavered, enabling Dominguez to bounce back by winning six straight racks.

But Pagulayan won in a battle of safeties in the 20th rack to frustrate Dominguez and pocket the top $3,000 purse in the two-day tournament which drew a full field of 192 players.