Year-ender: 'Django', 6 others put PHL in world pool map

He won the elusive world pool title when Father Time was catching up on him. But for Francisco "Django" Bustamante, it's better late than never. The pride of Tarlac captured his first-ever world title at the age of 47 in July of this year, making his successful World 9-Ball campaign as one of the biggest stories of 2010. Several times, Bustamante came close to winning the world pool championship. In 1999, he finished third, but lost to compatriot and bosom buddy Efren "Bata" Reyes in the semis. Reyes, who still remains as one of the most popular figures in the international billiard circuit, eventually won the title.

Three years later, Bustamante was at it again. He barged his way to the race-to-17 finals against American Earl "The" Pearl Strickland in Cardiff, Wales. Grieving from the death of his daughter, who had died prior to his finals match, Bustamante fought tooth-and-nail against his American rival, but lost steam in the end. In 2007 in Manila, Bustamante was in strong contention for the crown, but a costly scratch in his quarterfinals match booted him out of the race. But Bustamante made sure he wouldn't be denied in 2010. Up against the up-and-coming Taiwanese cue artist Kuo-Po Cheng, Bustamante used his experience to the hilt in dumping his younger foe, 13-7, in the finals. "Hindi ko akalain na mananalo pa ako ng world championship sa edad ko na ito," said Bustamante. "Medyo maganda yung taong 2010 sa akin." Pinoy Magnificent 7 Bustamante didn't only end up bagging his much-awaited championship. The man who used to play in the shadow of his more illustrious compatriot Efren"Bata" Reyes wound up as the No.1 player in the latest world rankings released by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). Bustamante made his way to the top of the rankings for only the second time in eight years. He was also the world’s No.1 player in 2002, but struggled in succeeding years. But he rediscovered his form this year to lead the Pinoy invasion in the WPA chart. Six other local bets made it to the top of the WPA rankings — Antonio Lining (No.3), Jeff de Luna (No.5), Ronnie Alcano (No.7), Venancio Tanio (No.8), Marlon Manalo (No.9), and former World Ten Ball runner-up Lee Van Corteza (No.10). Lining burst his way back to the top when he made it to the semifinal round of the World Ten Ball Championship. But the player who spent the past few years working as a translator and professional pool player in Japan continued his solid showing this year. He was part of the Pinoy squad that finished runner-up in the World Team Championship in Hanover, Germany early this year against Great Britain. In the World 9-Ball Championship, Lining was the losing semifinalist against Bustamante while also ending up runner-up in the China Open and the Star Billiards Championship in Manila. The power-breaking De Luna placed third in the Japan Open, third in the Star Billiards 10-Ball Championship, and fifth in the World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Alcano, a double world champion like Reyes, won the Star Billiards Championship and the Pattaya 9-Ball Invitational in Thailand. He was also a member of the PHL team that finished second in the World Team Championship. Tanio, one of the country's rising stars, was a fifth placer in the World 8-Ball event. Corteza, runner-up in the WTBC, won three international tournaments — the US Open 10-Ball Championship, the Predator International 10-Ball event, and the Hard Times-Mezz Cues 10-Ball Open. - KY, JVP, GMANews.TV