LG Billiards Challenge gets underway today

Earl "The Pearl" Strickland, a colorful fellow anywhere he goes, says that the LG 9-Ball Billiards Challenge 2 is a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea as far as he is concerned.

There’s really nothing in between if you ask the reigning world champion.

"The Philippines has the best players in the world right now, there’s no doubt about that," said Strickland yesterday during the press launch of the $37,500 event which will be played at the Casino Filipino in Parañaque starting today.

"Francisco (Bustamante) is the most dominating player in the world today. He’s at his elements so you would not want to face him," added Strickland. "Bata (Reyes) is Bata Reyes everywhere he goes and you wouldn’t want to play him either."

Strickland was asked to assess his chances in the three-day event sponsored by LG Electronics and backed by Puyat Sports where there is another foreigner entered–Mika Immonen–together with the two best cue artists in the country in Django Bustamante and Efren Reyes.

The four made an appearance in the launch at the National Sports Grill together with LG Philippines president Henry Jang, Aristeo Puyat of Puyat Sports and Games and Amusements Board chairman Eddie Villanueva.

And Strickland, should he go on all the way to the Finals, will have no choice but to play either of the Filipinos since the format restricts an all-Filipino championship as well as a title game between the two foreigners.

"They say Efren is in a slump right now," explained Strickland, who won the World Pool title at the expense of a grieving Bustamante just a couple of months back. "But the guy has been defying age and can easily snap out of it when (the tournament comes along). Both the Filipinos are dangerous players as far as I am concerned."

Reyes, on the other hand, is playing it safe.

"Mukhang panahon nila ngayon dahil masama ang tumbok ko," said Reyes, the 1999 winner in Cardiff. "Pero hindi rin natin alam kung anong buenas mayroon tayo pagdating ng tournament. Sa nakikita ko si Django (Bustamante) ang liyamado dahil sa ganda ng nilalaro niya ngayon."

The event opens at 4 p.m. today with the Immonen vs Bustamante match. Reyes and Strickland square off at 6 o’clock before the Filipinos exchange foes on Friday with Reyes playing first at 1 p.m.

A special exhibition match featuring Vergel Meneses of FedEx in the PBA and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao will be played on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.