Bata, Django open RP bid vs US stars

The P4.2 million Motolite International 9-ball championship gets underway today at the Makati Coliseum with the cream of the country's pro pool crop clashing with the best and the brightest American cue artists in what is billed as the richest, biggest and most explosive billiards event ever held here.

The masters of the game are all accounted for -- from world champion Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante to US titlist Johnny Archer and Nick Varner. Four Filipino qualifiers are also in the fold, out to prove their mettle against a field teeming with talent, ensuring a spirited chase for the top $30,000 purse in this event sponsored by Oriental and Motolite Corp.

Reyes, whose stirring victory in the world championship in Cardiffe, Wales last year put the country on the global pool stage, plays former US Open champion Mike LeBron in one of the matches kicking off the four-day event expected to draw in a full house crowd at the air-conditioned venue.

Bustamante, a by-word in pool circles in the US, takes on Tom Kennedy, while Leonardo "Dodong" Andam and Rodolfo "Boy Samson" Luat clash with Jeremy Jones and Ernesto Dominguez, respectively, all fancied to advance to the second round along with Reyes.

The round-of-16, race-to-15, single elimination matches will begin at 5 p.m. immediately after an opening ceremony with the event to be televised live for four days by Viva Vintage Sports, Inc. It will be shown by ESPN on a delayed basis on its Asian circuit.

Other opening matches pit Archer vs Venancio Tanio, one of the four qualifiers; Varner vs Antonio Gabica; Jim Rempe vs Antonio "Nickoy" Lining and Kim Davenport vs Ramil Gallego

The runner-up will receive $15,000, the losing two semifinalists $5,000 each, the losing four quarterfinalists $2,500 each, and losing last eight finalists $1,000 each.

Admission prices are: VIP 8 Section P500, Special Lower Box P200, Lower Box P100, Bleachers P50. Tickets are available at the Makati Coliseum ticket booths and Coronado Lanes at Anson Arcade Building, A. Arnaiz St. (formerly Pasay Road).

The entire gate receipts will be donated to Charity -- 50 percent to Bigay Pagmamahal Foundation, Inc., by the Makati City government and 50 percent to the Philippine National Red Cross by Puyat Sports.