Bata is world top earner with P14.8M

Efren "Bata" Reyes, the durable Filipino pool hero whose talent and skills on the felt table remain unmatched through the years, emerged as the world’s top earner in the sport last year with winnings of $279,169 (roughly P14.8 million).

That included his scintillating victory over fellow Hall of Famer Mike Sigel of the US in the International Pool Tour (IPT) King of the Hill 8-ball shootout in Florida where he won a whopping $200,000 purse (P10.8 million).

Reyes, a former world 9-ball champion, also posted five other victories in the season, including the Derby City Classic in Kentucky and the Japan Open, according to AzBilliards.com. He also had one third, one fourth and two fifth-place finishes for good measure.

Two other Filipinos — Marlon Manalo and Francisco "Django" Bustamante — also figured well in an explosive year for the local bets in the international scene with Manalo finishing third with $199,500 and Bustamante settling for fourth with $140,272 in winnings.

Manalo, a former snooker champion, won twice in the year, including a stirring victory in the Texas Hold Em Billiards where he pocketed $100,000. He also ruled the Reno Open in Nevada.

Bustamante, on the other hand, had three victories — in the Joss NE 9-ball Tour, Masters 9-ball and the All-Filipino 9-ball Open. But it was his third place finish behind Reyes and Sigel in the Florida meet that netted him a juicy $70,000 purse.

Sigel placed second with winnings of $250,000.

Santos Sambajon, a native of Quezon Province, was the other Filipino in the top 10 ranking at No. 10 with earnings of $89,669, including a $73,500 bounty in ruling the Skins Billiards Classic in Atlantic City.