Bata tackles Archer; Django vs Ortmann

A Filipino emerged as the top qualifier in the World Pool Championship but he was not among the talented bunch of eight which came all the way from Manila as Toronto-based Alex Pagulayan stormed through Group 11 with a perfect record of seven wins to steal the thunder from the likes of Efren "Bata" Reyes, Francisco "Django" Bustamante and surprise package Marlon Manalo at the end of elims Tuesday.

Reyes and Manalo, along with German Ralf Souquet, were the only other three players to have swept their elims matches at the Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales but Pagulayan beat them to the No. 1 spot by conceding just 14 racks to his opponents.

The 49-year-old Reyes, winner here in 1999, gave up 18 racks while Manalo, a first-timer playing like a veteran campaigner, yielded 21 racks.

Bustamante (Group 2) and Lee Van Corteza (Group 10) likewise topped their respective groups, while Ramil Gallego and Antonio Lining finished second in Groups 9 and 16, respectively. Warren Kiamco placed third in Gallego’s group while Dennis Orcollo dropped his last two matches but still clinched the No. 4 slot in Group 14.

Reyes, who settled for the No. 2 spot, will play former world 9-ball champion Johnny Archer of the US, while Bustamante tangles with German ace Oliver Ortmann in an early clash of the fancied bets.

The round of 64 will be a race-to-9 duel under the winner-break format.

In other matches, Manalo takes on Ernesto Dominguez of Mexico; Gallego plays Evgeny Stalev of Russia; Orcollo faces Max Eberle of the US; Lining meets Japanese Haruyoshi Hinokiyama; Kiamco clashes with Marc Holtz of Luxembourg; and Corteza battles Sten Jarledal of Sweden.