INQUIRER Sports

SOFT-SPOKEN AND DIGNIFIED PAENG Nepomuceno, the world’s greatest tenpin bowler, has named his strongest rivals in this year’s Bowling World Cup finals in Malaysia.

A four-time winner of the World Cup, the 52-year-old Nepomuceno picked Walter Ray Williams of the United States, Michael Schmidt of Canada, Martin Larsen of Sweden, Singapore’s Remy Ong and Malaysia’s hometown idol Zulmaran Zulkifli as his toughest rivals in tournament on Nov. 14 to 20 in Melaka.

Williams carries the distinction of having won the most number of PBA (Professional Bowling Association) titles, winning 46 times in the cash-rich American pro tour.

Schmidt is a former World Cup champion and runner-up two times; Larsen has won the World Ranking Masters once; Ong is a double gold medalist in the 2006 World Championships and Zulkifli has won titles in several Asian bowling meets.

In his quest for a record fifth World Cup crown, Paeng practices five times a week for two hours aside from going to the gym three times a week for an hour-long workout in the morning.

“I go cycling or swimming to improve my stamina on the days that I’m not in the gym, also for an hour each session,” the multi-awarded Paeng said.

Nepomuceno, who earned his 16th trip to the World Cup, and female kegler Liza del Rosario, won the right to represent the country in Malaysia by posting lopsided victories during the national finals held last month.

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Two former champions and a losing finalist during the past two years are carrying the country’s colors in the 34th US Open 9-Ball Championship which got going Sunday at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, Virginia. The star-studded tourney winds up Saturday.

Leading the Philippine campaign in this most prestigious pool event are Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes, who won the US Open in 1994; Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, champion in 2005; and Ronnie “Volcano” Alcano, losing finalist in 2007 (to American Shane Van Boening) and 2008 (to Finland’s Mika Immonen).

Also donning the RP colors are veteran internationalists Francisco “Django” Bustamante, snooker ace Marlon Manalo, former world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo, Roberto Gomez, Warren Kiamko, the unsinkable Jose “Amang” Parica, Ramil Gallego, Ramon Mistica, Santos Sambajon and upcoming Al Lapeña.

Limited to 256 world-class players, this year’s US Open stakes a winner’s purse of $100,000.

Now pushing 55, Reyes will certainly be the center of attention. Can he still weave his magic?

In my view, Reyes is the man to watch in the US Open. Only recently, Reyes topped the 2009 World Cup of Pool in partnership with his kumpadre Bustamante, beating an elite field that included many of those also entered in the Open.

Widely known as “The Magician” for his dumbfounding shots, Reyes has high hopes for the Philippine contingent, calling it “the strongest team ever assembled for any one particular US Open tournament.”

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PERSONAL. I would like to greet special persons closest to my heart: The venerable retired Col. Julian Malonso, who celebrated his birthday on Oct. 18; my longtime friend, former Olympic shooter Tom Ong, who will mark another milestone on Oct. 21; my granddaughter Maizel, only child of Manu and Zez Iñigo (Oct. 15), my mother-in-law Josefina Gabiosa (Oct. 19) and newly appointed Barako Bull team manager Raffy Casyao (Oct. 24).