RP & Taiwan now even-Steven

Filipino cue artists are finding the Taiwanese such a pain in the necks. In the recent grand finals of the 2008 Guinness 9-Ball Tour, the Taiwanese booted out the likes of Dennis Orcullo and Alex Pagulayan in the semifinals.

Current world No. 1 Dennis Orcullo, the Guanzhou leg champion, fell apart after the 13th rack to bow out of contention, beaten by Yan Ching Shun, 5-9. Pagulayan, who dominated the Singapore leg, fell 1-4 early in the game, worked his way to make it 6-8 but succumbed to 2004 World Pool champion Wu Chia Ching, 6-9.

This must have been a bitter loss for Orcullo as he vowed to make up after the stinging semis loss, he and Django Bustamante, suffered to eventual champs the US in the 2008 Party Pooker World Cup of Pool.

Yang ultimately won the grand finals, beating Wu, 11-9. With Yang’s triumph, the Philippines and Taiwan are now even-steven, 13-13, in titles won since the Guinness 9-Ball tournament started in 2003.

Orcullo and Pagulayan were in breathing fire in the quarterfinals as they routed their respective rivals. In between laying out my pages, I would peek and looked at the scores, and they were miles apart.

It was fast shaping up to be an All-Filipino finale but the Taiwanese spoiled the party. What I couldn’t understand is the sudden change in the games of Orcullo and Pagulayan - from almost perfect to mediocre. Or is billiards that unpredictable?

Orcullo and Pagulayan weren’t alone. Over at the US 9-Ball Open, Ronnie Alcano had his misfortunes as well. Alcano cruised into the finals, undefeated, and was the favorite to wrap up the crown until he lost to Finland’s Mika Immonen, 13-7.

Immonen came from the loser’s bracket, having absorbed an 11-6 beating from Alcano in the semis. On his way to the final, he beat another Filipino Warren Kiamco. The Finn more than made up for his earlier defeat by beating Alcano in the most important game, relegating Alcano to his second runner-up finish in the US Open.

All of a sudden, I’m missing the Magician. The last time I heard, Efren “Bata” Reyes has to skip the US 9-Ball Open due to health reasons. Let’s hope that he gets well soon and back in harness again.

American Mosconi Cup Team Complete

Matchroom Sport has announced that Jeremy Jones and Earl Strickland have been chosen to fill the final two spots in the American line-up at the 2008 PartyCasino.com Mosconi Cup.

The pair will join Shane Van Boening, Johnny Archer and Rodney Morris on the American side, which was upset by the Europeans last year in Las Vegas. The only change from 2007 team is the substitution of Jones for Corey Deuel.

The American team not be lacking in experience, with Strickland making his 13th appearance and Archer his 12th. All in all, the five Americans have a total of 35 appearances at the yearly Ryder Cup-style event.

Van Boening is by far the greenest member of Team USA, though he may also be the most feared. In his Mosconi Cup debut last year, the 25-year-old South Dakotan won three of his five matches.

Though Strickland has struggled in international singles events, he has always been a force at the Mosconi Cup. Of the 61 player to compete in the event, Strickland has the best record, winning a staggering 37 of his 56 matches.

“I’m a more intelligent player than most of these guys. I’m working hard and I think I’m close to being back to my very best," he said. "The Mosconi Cup is my kind of tournament, and I’m looking forward to doing my best for the U.S.A. in Malta.”

Looking to win a second straight Cup for the first time in the event's 15th year, Team Europe will consist of Ralf Souquet, Mark Gray, Tony Drago, Niels Feijen and Mika Immonen.

Stickland and Jones fill out Team USA

Matchroom Sport can announce that the final two spots on the American side for the forthcoming PartyCasino.com Mosconi Cup will be filled by South Carolina’s Earl Strickland and Jeremy Jones (Texas).

Both players line up in an American team that is hoping to win the Mosconi Cup outright for the first time since 2005. Taking place at the Hilton Hotel, Portomaso, St Julians, Malta from December 11 – 14, the event features two five-man teams playing a series of singles and doubles matches over four days.

Strickland, 47, is playing in his 13th consecutive Mosconi Cup, a record for the event, and has won a fantastic 37 points from 56 matches. ‘The Pearl’ insists that he will be back to his imperious best come December, having put the health issues that dogged him a few years ago very much behind him.

“I’m not just a pool player, I’m an athlete,” said an ebullient Strickland.

“I’m running four miles every morning and doing 500 sit ups a day and I’m practicing seven to eight hours a day.

“I’m a more intelligent player than most of these guys, I’m working hard and I think I’m close to being back to my very best.

“The Mosconi Cup is my kind of tournament and I’m looking forward to doing my best for the USA in Malta.”

Despite his well-documented bust-ups at the Mosconi Cup, Strickland’s record in the event is the best of the 61 players who have participated in the competition in its 14 year history.

Joining Strickland, Archer, Van Boening and Morris will be Jeremy Jones, who at 36 will be making his seventh Mosconi Cup appearance. ‘Double J’ sports an impressive 16 wins from 28 starts and made his debut back in 1999 when the USA won 12-7 at the York Hall in London.

Jones has enjoyed a revival this year with a third place finish at the Predator International 10 Ball Championship back in May. Then in June, he followed that up with a long-awaited victory in the Generationpool.com Open in Charlotte.

These results and others were enough to propel the likable Texan up to fourth in the BCA Points List and secure his Mosconi Cup spot.

Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn said, “In all the sports that I have promoted over the years, aside from the boxer Chris Eubank, there has been no other sportsman who has got the public going more than Earl Strickland.

“Some love him, plenty hate him but he is one of the greatest players to have ever held a cue stick and when it comes to entertainment, he has few rivals.

“The Mosconi Cup has always been Earl’s playground – he won MVP honours in Las Vegas in 2005 – and when he’s on form, the Europeans will know all about it.

“Jeremy Jones has a great record in the event and it is gratifying to see him play his way back into contention. He completes a very strong looking American side and I am expecting a fierce battle in December.”

This year will see the 15th running of pool’s answer to the Ryder Cup and the current score stands at 10 ½ - 3 ½ to the Americans.

The official sponsors of the 2008 Mosconi Cup are PartyCasino.com, Brunswick Tables, Simonis Cloth, Super Aramith Pro Balls and Predator Cues.

A range of superb value hotel and ticket packages are available from the Official Mosconi Cup Travel Agents www.alleventsmalta.com

Karen Corr wins Challenge of Champions

This years International Challenge of Champions at the Mohegan Sun Casino, saw four of the absolute top talents on the WPBA tour doing battle in a tough single elimination format for the $25,000 winner take all first prize.

Combatants in this event were Allison Fisher, Karen Corr, Xiao-Ting Pan and Ga-Young Kim. Corr faced off against Kim and Fisher faced Pan.

Fisher and Pan split the first two sets and were forced to play a sudden-death tie-breaker to determine who would move on. That player was Xiao-Ting Pan.

Pan's opponent in the finals was Karen Corr, who defeated Ga Young Kim.

The finals saw each player win one set, forcing another sudden death playoff to determine the winner.

In this "one game playoff" format, the lag is all important. And Pan won the lag to earn first shot at winning the final game. Pan was immediately confronted with a tough decision after the break. She could go for a tough 2-ball in the side or try for a long carom on the 9-ball down table. She opted to go for both shots and only succeeded in pocketing the 2-ball. Pan was left with a tough kick on the 3-ball which she managed to hit and pocket.

As the 3-ball was being pocketed, the 7-ball rolled towards the 9-ball and left an enticing combo on the 9-ball for the win. Pan's next obstacle though, was a difficult 4-ball in the side. That obstacle proved to be too much for her as she failed to pocket the 4-ball, leaving Corr a partially hidden 4-ball that would have to be either banked or played safe.

Corr went for the aggressive bank to the 7-combo and executed it perfectly. The 9-ball fell and so did Pan's hopes to return to the table.

Corr won the $25,000 first prize and Pan settled for a day of tough competition against her WPBA rivals.

'Bata' still top Pinoy in AZBilliards list, two others in top 10

He may not be as rich as his compatriots in terms of winnings this year but Efren "Bata" Reyes has proven that he is still king Pinoy cue master as far as AZBilliards.com rankings are concerned.

Reyes, also dubbed as "The Magician", remained in sixth place in the weekly standings that saw Shane Van Boening jumping a notch at number one. Reyes has so far earned $5,500 in international tournaments, with the last one being the Qatar International Open in July.

Bustamante, meanwhile, trailed Reyes closely at seventh, dropping three notches from last week's rankings. His last tournament was the US 9-Ball Championships in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he finished ninth earlier this month.

Orcollo, on the other hand, shed four places to finish the week at No. 9. He landed third in the US 9-Ball Open after finishing first in the Guangzhou, China leg of the Guinness 9-Ball Tour in September.

In terms of earnings, Orcollo came first with $91,400, so far, followed by Francisco Bustamante with  $80,903.

Another Filipino champ, Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, fell short of a slot as he landed 11th for the week. He has so far earned $61,203.

Jose "Amang" Parica, meanwhile, jumped 12 steps after last week's 51st placing. His 2008 winnings are now pegged at $20,190, with the latest addition coming from the US Open 9-Ball where he shared ninth place with Bustamante.

Ronnie "The Volcano" Alcano, on the other hand, was at the bottom of the 50-man list as he dropped 21 places from last week's 29th spot. He now has $41,200 in winnings after adding $20,000 as first runner-up prize in the US 9-Ball Open.

Feijen and Immonen Added to European Mosconi Cup Team

Matchroom Sport are pleased to announce that Finland’s Mika Immonen and Niels Feijen (Holland) are the final two players to make up the European team for this year’s 15th annual Mosconi Cup which takes place at the Hilton Hotel, Portomaso, St Julians, Malta from December 11 – 14.

Immonen, 35, became only the second ever European player to win the prestigious US Open at the weekend when he dispatched 2006 World Pool Champion Ronnie Alcano of the Philippines 13-7 in the final.

The American-based Finn was a member of the successful European Mosconi Cup side in 2002 and will be desperate to make amends for 2006 when he was two balls away from winning the Mosconi Cup for Europe.

“It’s amazing to be back in the team again. It was one of the driving forces that kept me fighting for the US Open title,” he said.

“I said to my friends before the Open that I am going to win this one and earn my spot back on the Mosconi Cup team. It’s the only way and it’s the right way. I simply had to show why I think I should be on that team.

Immonen who will be making his 12th Mosconi Cup appearance and has recorded 27 wins from 55 matches added, “I am looking forward to it all and I will fight just as hard on the team so we can retain the title.”

For Feijen, the 31 year-old from The Hague, it has been a culmination of a highly successful year that saw him claim the WPA World Straight Pool Championship in August.

“It’s been a great year for me and I think I deserve to be in the team again. Of the five major events out there, I’ve finished in the top three in three of them including being runner up at the Qatar International Open and third place at the recent World Ten Ball Championship.

Feijen was one of the back bones of the European side that won so well in Las Vegas last year and overall, sports a 10 wins from 17 starts record in the event.

Immonen and Feijen now join Germany’s Ralf Souquet, Tony Drago (Malta) and Mark Gray of England to make up what looks to be one of the strongest European teams in recent years.

Commented Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn, “It was always going to be a very tough decision and someone was going to be disappointed but that is a testament to the current strength in depth of European pool.

“Mika and Niels have played in a total of 15 Mosconi Cups between them and have both experienced victory in the event so they know all about what is required.

“Their achievements this year have been exceptional and I am sure they will be as keen as anyone to be a member of the first European team to successfully defend the Mosconi Cup.”

The final two players for the American team will be announced on Friday 31st October.

This year will see the 15th running of pool’s answer to the Ryder Cup and the current score stands at 10 ½ - 3 ½ to the Americans.

The official sponsors of the 2008 Mosconi Cup are PartyCasino.com, Brunswick Tables, Simonis Cloth, Super Aramith Pro Balls and Predator Cues.

Falling short... again: Alcano loses to Immonen in US Open 9-ball final

Mika Immonen of Finland bucked a late loss and two Filipino challengers to win the US Open 9-Ball Championships Saturday in Chesapeake, Virginia.

It looked like the finals would see an all-Filipino cast featuring former World 9-ball champion Ronnie Alcano and miracle man Warren Kiamco.

But Immonen had other things in mind.

Immonen defeated Kiamco 11-9 in the last losers' bracket match, then defeated Alcano 13-7 in the final to become only the second European to win the top-tier event.

In a complicated format that gives the losers a chance to get back in contention via "the losers' bracket", Immonen took advantage of the second life.

He, Alcano and Americans Rodney Morris and Johnny Archer ended up as the top placers in their respective "winners' brackets", the players who emerged without a loss in four preliminary-round groups.

Immonen beat Archer 11-7, and Alcano won over Morris by the same score as the winners set up a duel to determine the first finalist.

Alcano booked the first finals berth with an 11-6 win and in the process, sent Immonen to the losers' bracket where the Finn would meet Kiamco in a match to decide the second finalist.

Immonen got back on the winning groove versus Kiamco and avenged his earlier defeat to Alcano to give Europe its first US Open crown since Ralf Souquet of Germany won in 2002.