Villar Cup goes south for 2nd leg

After the successful staging of the inaugural leg at StarMall Alabang, the first Senate President Manny Villar Cup goes to the south with the big names in world pool clashing for top honors and rich purses in the second leg slated June 20-22 at the Atrium of SM City Cebu.

Also known as Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports, the three-day tournament offers a total cash pot of P1 million with the champion receiving P400,000.

“As I’ve promised during the kickoff leg, I will bring the Villar Cup to the provinces to give our kababayans a chance to see in the flesh our world-class Filipino billiard players and give aspiring players there a chance to compete with them,” said the Senate President during the press conference yesterday at the Trade Hall of StarMall EDSA in Mandaluyong City.

Former world champion and Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes, former world No. 1 Francisco “Django” Bustamante, reigning World Pool Masters champion Alex Pagulayan, Gandy Valle, Lee Van Corteza, Roberto Gomez and Joven Bustamante were among the pool masters who graced the launching of the event.

They will lead the 64 players in the main draw in the tournament staged by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) and co-organized by Sunstar Superbalita with support from Bugsy Promotions, Puyat Sports, Negros Billiards Stable and Camella Communities.

Three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Warren Kiamco, who ruled the Villar Cup first leg last May 10, hopes to make it back-to-back, winning a crown right in his hometown.

The other seeded players in the main draw are Rodolfo Luat, Jharome Peña, Carlo Biado, Ramil Gallego, Ricky Zerna, Jundel Mason, Elmer Haya, Rubilen Amit, Mary Ann Basas and Villar Cup first leg Sipag at Tiyaga division champion Benson Palce.

Four slots were disputed in a special qualifying tournament for the topnotchers in the Search for the New Billiards Idol last week with Bugsy stalwarts Rene Mar David, Russian Petiza and Johann Chua and NBS’ Manolo Tanasas joining the big guns in the tournament proper.

Four slots were allotted to Bacolod, four in Northern Luzon and two in Mindanao. The remaining berths will be disputed in a qualifier in Cebu days before the main event.   

Sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), the Villar Cup Cebu leg will also stage separate competitions for elementary, high school and amateur cue artists from June 14-18.     – Nelson Beltran