Pagulayan, Reyes head Filipino World Pool contestants

Former World Pool champions Alex Pagulayan (2004) and Efren Reyes (1999) will lead 10 other Filipino pool players in their quest to regain the title in the World Pool Championships to be held in Manila on November 4-12. Included in the list of players who qualified from the Philippines is Dennis Orcollo, who just this Sunday bagged the 2006 World Pool League tournament in Warsaw, Poland. Other Filipino campaigners are Jose Parica, Marlon Manalo, Francisco Bustamante, Ramil Gallego, Rodolfo Luat, Gandy Valle, Jeff De Luna, Ronato Alcano, Dennis Orcollo, and Roland Garcia. Hottest among these Filipino campaigners is Reyes, who recently won the World Cup of Pool, the International Pool Tour World 8-ball, and the SMB 9-ball Championship. A total of 117 players representing 42 countries have been confirmed as qualified for spots in this year's edition of the world's most prestigious pool event. Two additional players from South Africa remain to be confirmed by Matchroom Sport, the lead promoter of the tournament. The United States the most number of entries — 13 players in all. At the top of the US contingent are Earl Strickland (2002 World Pool champion), Johnny Archer (US Player of the Year for several years), and Rodney Morris (runnerup in the recent IPT 8-Ball Championship in Reno). Like the Philippines, Chinese Taipei has 12 representative, lead by reigning 2005 world champion Wu Chia Ching and 2000 champion Fong Pang Chao. Germany, a rising power in world pool, will have nine entries. Leading its contingent are former world champions Thorsten Hohmann (2003), Ralph Souquet (1996), and Oliver Ortmann (1995). For the first time in the WPC history, players from China, France, Qatar, and Brunei will see action. The Crown Prince of Brunei, Prince Muhtadee Billah, will carry the colors of his country. To complete the 128 man-field of the tournament, Raya Sports will stage qualifying tournaments at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City from October 28 to November 1. - GMANews.TV