Django, Orcollo see action in Villar Cup

Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Dennis Orcollo hope to live up to their lofty tag as the only Filipinos to top the world rankings when they compete in the Elite Professional division of the first Senate President Manny Villar Cup Cebu leg starting Friday at the Trade Hall of SM City in Cebu.

They are also looking at this tournament, presented by Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports, in partnership with the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) and sponsored by Camella Communities, as part of their buildup to  become a world champion.

“That’s my ultimate goal – to become a world champion,” said Bustamante who finished runner-up to American Earl Strickland in the World Pool Championship in 2002, the year he was world No.1.

“But I know that to do that, you have to build some sort of a momentum and that includes winning tournaments like the Villar Cup,” added the 43-year-old Tarlac native. “So I will make the most out of this, and hopefully I will win it.”

Bustamante will be seeing action in the Villar Cup for the first time, having missed the series’ first leg last month in Alabang as he competed in the World Pool Masters in Las Vegas.

Orcollo, the current world No.1, also feels his time has come to finally hoist a world title.

“I will use this Villar Cup as a stepping stone in achieving my dream,” said the 29-year-old stalwart of the star-studded Bugsy Promotions of businessman Perry Mariano, who trounced four-time Guinness Tour leg winner Chang Jung-lin of Taiwan, 13-5, in a challenge match.

But both Bustamante and Orcollo know that realizing their hopes of winning the Villar Cup would be such a tall order with all of the country’s world-class cue artists plus a horde of up and coming stars vying for the title  and the P400,000 top prize.

Besides the two, the other players competing in the event are former world titlists Efren “Bata” Reyes, Ronnie Alcano and Alex Pagulayan, current world No.1 Dennis Orcollo, former world’s top-ranked player Francisco Bustamante, 2007 World Pool runner-up Roberto Gomez, reigning national champion Lee Van Corteza, former Asian Games gold medalist Gandy Valle, and Villar Cup opening leg winner Warren Kiamco, among others.