Philippine Open Pool: Battle of the best

Men and women world champions and past and present world No.1 players. They are all here to compete in the Philippine Open Pool Championships, the first of the three events of the World Pool-Billiard Association that will be staged here in the country.

The Philippine Open is scheduled from April 7 to 11 at the SM Megamall, with the event shaping up to be a battle of the best in the world of pool. All reigning world champions – three men and two women – have confirmed their participation in the tournament, according to Butch Argonza, press officer of Raya Sports. Newly-crowned World 8-Ball champion Dennis Orcullo and reigning World 9-Ball champion Francisco “Django" Bustamante will spearhead the Filipinos’ campaign in this event, which serves as a prelude to the year’s biggest event — the World Ten Ball Championship — to be held for the third time in Manila. Defending World Ten Ball champion Mika Immonen of Finland has also confirmed his participation to complete the list of world champions who will banner the 64-player field in the men’s division. In the women’s championship, the two reigning women’s champions — World 10-Ball champ Jasmin Ouschan of Austria and defending World 9-Ball titlist Fu Xiao-Fang of China — have already informed the organizing Raya Sports and the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines of their intention to play in the tournament. The five champions will vie for top honors against a field of former world champions and national champions from all over the world. Among the notable players in the men’s competition are Ralf Souquet of Germany and Ronnie Alcano of the Philippines, both of whom are double world champions, inaugural World Ten Ball champ Darren Appleton of Great Britain, and former US Open titlist Shane van Boening of the United States. The women’s division also features such topnotch players as Ga Young Kim of Korea, currently the world no. 1 in the WPA rankings, European Tour veterans Allison Fisher of Great Britain, Karen Corr of Ireland, and Kelly Fisher of Great Britain. The Philippine Open is organized and promoted by Raya Sports in cooperation with the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), the NSA for billiards. AksyonTV 41 will broadcast the tournament nationwide while ESPN Star Sports will handle the international broadcast of the event. For more information about the Philippine Open, visit the official website: www:rayasports,wordpress.com. - KY, GMA News