30 countries, over 200 players to join PHL Pool Open

Over 200 players from 30 countries have already confirmed participation in the Philippine Open Pool Championships in Manila. The Philippine Open will have two stages — the Stage 1 qualifying event to be held at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City from March 31 to April 4, and the Stage 2 main draw from April 7 to 11. A world-ranking event of the World Pool-Billiard Asociation (WPA), the Philippine Open involves both a Men’s and a Women’s Championship. The men’s championship has a main draw of 64 players, while the women’s championship has a draw of 32 players. The Philippine Open is a ten-ball event. The format is double elimination, culminating in a Final Four. Favored to win the event are the bets from top-playing countries in Asia, Europe and North America.

Among the latest countries to enter players in the tournament are Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Two other Middle East countries joining the tournament are Qatar and Iran. Among the top players who confirmed participation are the reigning men’s and women’s world champions: newly-crowned World 8-Ball champion Dennis Orcullo (Philippines), World Ten Ball champion Mika Immonen (Finland), World Women’s Ten Ball champion Jasmin Ouschan (Austria), and World Women’s 9-Ball champion Fu Xiao-Fang (China). Joining them in the event are: Ga Young Kim (Korea), winner of the recent Amway Cup for women in Taipei; former world champions Ralf Souquet (Germany), Darren Appleton (Great Britain), and Ronnie Alcano (Philippines), former US Open titlist Shane van Boening (United States), and former women’s world champion Allison Fisher (Great Britain). Slated to defend the Philippine Open crown he won in May 2009 is Ricky Yang of Indonesia. He will be joined by some 20 Indonesian men and women players who are bidding to duplicate his feat. Also fielding sizable delegations in the event are China, Korea and Chinese Taipei. - Rey Joble, KY, GMA News