MASTERS POOL
Pagulayan nails 2nd world title
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:28:00 05/13/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Alex Pagulayan will deliver when given a chance.
The Filipino cue wizard capitalized on an illegal break by Finland’s Mika Immonen to seize momentum and eventually rule the 2008 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters at the packed Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas on Monday.
Pagulayan, already the 2004 World Pool champion, bested the veteran Immonen, 8-6, to clinch the crown that eluded him two years ago and pocket the $20,000 (about P440,000) top purse.
It was a big recovery for Pagulayan, who was staring at a 3-6 deficit when Immonen, the 2001 World Pool champion, made an illegal break for pocketing a ball but failing to carry two other balls past the headstring.
Taking over, Pagulayan ran out the rack, went on to take the next three and reached the hill, 7-6.
“This is like winning the World Championship for me,” said Pagulayan, who let out a yell after sinking the final 9 ball. “I’ve always wanted it (World Pool Masters) but I’ve finally broken the ice.
“I really didn’t think I’d win it until the last ball dropped, but there were lots of people who liked watching me and that was good for me to have that support.”
Pagulayan barged into the final by besting countryman Francisco “Django” Bustamante, 8-4, while Immonen beat Chinese Taipei’s Ko Pin-yi by the same count.
“It was brutal, why did it have to happen there?” said a dejected Immonen. “I was able to get a good lead but the illegal break was the real turning point as it gave (Pagulayan) the opportunity to get back in it.”
With the victory, Pagulayan, a member of the Billiards Managers Players Association of the Philippines, duplicated the feat of Bustamante, who won the event in 1998 and 2001.
It also erased the memory of his 8-6 loss to Ralf Souquet in the 2006 Masters and his defeat to Bustamante in the Round of 16 in last year’s WPC.
“I am very happy that Alex once again brought honor to the country,” said Pagulayan benefactor Aristeo “Putch” Puyat. “He proved that he’s one of our greatest players.”
Immonen settled for the runner-up purse of $10,000, while Bustamante and Ko took home $5,000 each.
Pagulayan and Bustamante will be joined by Efren “Bata” Reyes when they compete in the Predator International 10-Ball Championship starting Tuesday, also in Las Vegas. With a report from Roy Luarca
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