ALEX PAGULAYAN shoots for a title on home soil since winning the World Pool Masters in the Cebu leg of the first Senate President Manny Villar Cup at The Atrium of SM City Cebu from June 20 to 22.

The 29-year-old Pagulayan failed to enter the quarterfinals of the Guinness 9-Ball Tour stop in Genting Highlands in Malaysia over the weekend so a follow-up to his World Pool Masters crown in his home country will be doubly sweet.

“I’m always nervous when I compete but at the same time, I’m confident that I can do well in this event,” Pagulayan said during Wednesday’s press launch at the StarMall Mandaluyong.

Pagulayan is among 64 players vying for the P400,000 top prize that includes former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes, Ronato Alcano, former world No. 1 Francisco “Django” Bustamante, current top-ranked cue artist Dennis Orcollo, 2007 World Pool Championship runner-up Roberto Gomez, Lee Van Corteza and Gandy Valle.

Warren Kiamco, the Metropolis StarMall Alabang leg winner, will also go all-out to take home a title in his hometown.

Senate President Manny Villar said this is an opportunity for the Cebuanos to see world-class billiards action from the best players in the country.

“As I’ve promised during our kickoff leg, I will bring the Villar Cup to the provinces to give our kababayan a chance to see in the flesh our world-class Filipino billiards players, and give those aspiring players there a chance to compete with them,” said Villar.

“We are thankful to Senator Villar for sponsoring this kind of tournament and for supporting the sport,” said Reyes, who was joined in the press conference by Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines president lawyer Vic Rodriguez and manager Aristeo “Putch” Puyat.

Other seeded players include Rodolfo Luat, Joven Bustamante, Jharome Peña, Carlo Biado, Ramil Gallego, Ricky Zerna, Jundel Mason, Elmer Haya, and women cue artists Rubilen Amit and Mary Ann Basas.

The tournament is co-organized by the BMPAP and Sunstar Superbalita and is supported by Bugsy Promotions, Puyat Sports and Negros Billiards Stable, sponsored by Camella Communities, and sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board..

Four slots were disputed during a qualifying tournament last week with Rene Mar David, Russian Petiza, Johann Chua and Manolo Tanasas taking those berths.

Four more berths each to Bacolod and Northern Luzon, and two in Mindanao will be disputed days before the tournament proper.

The Villar Cup will also be holding separate tournaments for grade school, high school and amateurs from June 14 to 18.

Rodriguez said legs in Bulacan and Batangas City are being planned.

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A ONE-OF-A-KIND opening ceremonies will usher in the 71st season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), which starts off with the men’s basketball tournament on July 5 at the Araneta Coliseum.

ALEX PAGULAYAN shoots for a title on home soil since winning the World Pool Masters in the Cebu leg of the first Senate President Manny Villar Cup at The Atrium of SM City Cebu from June 20 to 22.

Mars Pucay heads the Philippine campaign in the Asian Tour’s Bangkok Airways Open, which starts today at the Santiburi Samui Country Club in Koh Samui, Thailand.

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