Pacquiao 10-ball tilt: 4 world champs vs Filipinos

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Former world pool champions Mika Immonen of Finland, Thorsten Hohmann and Ralf Souquet of Germany and Earl Strickland of the United States are coming over in September to test their mettle against local cue masters.

Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, a billiards enthusiast, told the Inquirer by phone last Friday that the four crack foreigners are among players from 30 countries seeing action in the prestigious five-day International Open Double 10-Ball Tournament that he has organized.

Bannering the Philippine challenge are the pairings of former world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo and Carlo Biado, former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Django Bustamante, Nickoy Lining and Ramil Gallego, and Jeff de Luna and Jeffrey Ignacio.

The P5-million competition, to be held at Pacman Multi-Sports Gymnasium in Tambler village here from Sept. 1 to 5, will also feature other crack foreign pool players such as Jason Shaw of Canada, Darren Appleton of Britain and Rodney Morris of the US.

Pacquiao himself is playing with billiards and snooker champion Marlon Manalo during the tournament sanctioned by the World Pocket Billiards Association.

According to Pacquiao, the tournament is part of various activities lined up for the city’s weeklong Tuna Festival. The city will celebrate its 46th charter anniversary on Sept. 5.

Pacquiao said his main goal in inviting international pool players over is “to promote not just the image of Sarangani and General Santos but of the entire Mindanao.”

“It’s a great opportunity for us to prove to them that there’s more to Mindanao than sensationalized reports of violence and conflict,” Pacquiao added.

The champion will take home $40,000 plus trophy, while the first runner-up will pocket $15,000.

The rest of the top 16 placers will also receive cash prizes. Aquiles  Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao