RP masters sustain pace in US Open

Former world 9-ball champions Alex Pagulayan pulled through with a shutout win over Frank Alvarez, 11-0, while Efren Reyes escaped with a scary 11-10 victory over Marc Vidal to join seven other Filipinos into the third round of the US Open 9-ball Championship at the Chesapeake Convention Center in Chesapeake, Virginia Tuesday.

The contrasting victories by two of the country’s top cue artists highlighted the Filipinos’ romp in the second day of the weeklong event, which drew the world’s finest players, with Dennis Orcollo and Rodolfo Luat whipping their respective rivals to lead the cast in Group 2.

Orcollo downed Michael Dechaine, 11-5, to arrange a third round clash with David Hunt, who beat Bill McCollim, 11-5, while Luat held off Ivaylo Petrov, 11-8, to set up a duel with Ceri Worts, who produced the biggest win in the day, an 11-7 upset of former world champion Earl Strickland of the US.

Pagulayan, the 2004 world champion, played true to form against Alvarez even as he tries to sustain his form when he faces Louis Ulrich, who defeated Jeremy Jones, 11-5, in the third round in the featured Group I match.

But focus will be in the Group 3 where six Filipinos are bracketed with Reyes and Alcano tipped to meet in the fourth round and Francisco “Django” Bustamante fancied to take on Jose “Amang” Parica in the upper half of the draw.

Alcano, bracing for his defense of the world 9-ball crown in Manila next month, thumped Paddy McLaughlin, 11-3, to seal a third round encounter with Chris Bartrum, who tripped Paul Potier, 11-5.

Reyes is set to face Alessandro Torrenti, an 11-5 winner over Dave Bellman, with another victory, coupled with Alcano’s win, paving the way for an early clash of two of the top guns in the 233-player field.

Bustamante overwhelmed Richie Orem, 11-5, and will take on Joel Gray, who beat Mark Javis, 11-6, in the third round while Parica outclassed Abdullah El Yousef, 11-5, to set up a duel with Derek Leonard, who prevailed over Josh Lewis, 11-9 in the upper half of the draw.

Lee Van Corteza nipped Jason Klatt, 11-9, to seal a clash with Niels Feijen, who routed Don Polo, 11-1, while Warren Kiamco won over Daniel Madden, 11-4, and will meet Dan Louie, an 11-4 winner over Barry Boney, in the third round.

Others who advanced were Stevie Moore, Tony Robles, Ralf Souquet, Tony Chohan, Johnny Archer, Thorsten Hohmann, Nick Varner, Corey Deuel and Marcus Chamat.