Mazon winds up second in China pool

Jundel Mazon failed to overhaul his Taiwanese foe’s hot start to settle for second place in the China 9-Ball Invitational Championship in Hefei City, Anhui province over the weekend.

Two-time World 9-Ball champion Chao Fong-pang jumped to an early 4-1 lead en route to an 11-8 victory that earned him $16,000.

Chao reached the finals after outclassing Filipino pool legend Efren “Bata” Reyes, 11-16, in the semifinals.

Mazon, who pocketed $8,000, nipped countryman Lee Van Corteza, 11-10, in the other semifinal duel.

Playing error-free and with clinical precision, the veteran Chao extended a 4-1 advantage to 9-4 before Mazon strung up three straight racks to make it exciting, 10-8.

Among the victims of Mazon, a winner of the Jakarta leg of last year’s Guinness World Series of Pool, were China’s Chan Dulong, 9-3, in the last 32; China’s Gou Hua, 9-5, in the last 16; and Taiwan’s Yang Chin-shun, 11-9, in the last 8.

The other Filipinos who saw action in Hefei were Warren Kiamco, Antonio Lining and Panfilo Damuag.