Boening, four RP masters advance

Shane Van Boening, the top-ranked player in the United States today, continued to make noise yesterday as he showed the way into the round of 64 of the World Ten Ball Championship.

Boening, 25, who was born deaf, scored only the second shutout win in the tournament so far by beating Kuo Po-Cheng of Taipei, 9-0, at the cold, spacious and well-lit PICC playing area.

“I guess I’m just playing good and near perfect,” said Boening, a 9-1 winner over Alphonse Hoge of South Africa in Monday’s opening day of the world event offering $100,000 to the winner.

To avoid any distraction, Boening simply turns off his hearing aid before the start of each match. He also said he came in a week earlier than the rest, and enjoyed some money games in Malate.

“I’ve played Lee Van (Corteza), (Warren) Kiamco, (Roberto) Gomez and some young kid at One Side. But from now on until the end there’ll be no more money games,” said Boening.

Marlon Manalo, Victor Arpilleda, Demosthenes Pulpul and Leonardo Didal of the Philippines made it to the top 64 where each player is already assured of $2,000 or roughly P92,000.

Manalo whipped Fabio Petroni of Italy, 9-1; Arpilleda survived King Woong-Dae of Korea, 9-5; Pulpul edged Yang Shing-Chun of Taipei, 9-8; and Didal stunned Christian Weigoni, 9-7.

Pinoys now out of contention are Florencio Banar who lost to Lee Po-Hsieh of Taipei, 9-5, Elvis Casalang who bowed to compatriot Jerico Banares, 9-3, and Antonio Gabica who fell to Martin Larsen of Denmark, 9-7.

Rising star Jeff de Luna, Arnel Bautista and Elmer Kalaquian have played only one match so far, and won them. They shoot for a round of 64 berth today, along with Mario Tolentino, Edgar Acaba and Banares.

Also safely into the next round were big names reigning world 9-ball champ Daryl Peach, Sascha Tege of Germany who defeated Doha Asian Games women’s 9-ball champ Liu Shin-Mei of Taipei, Lu Hui-Chan, Charlie Williams, Tyler Edey, Bruno Muratore, Mark Gray, Naoyuki Oy, Ryu Seoung-Woo, Dimitri Jungo, Darren Appleton, Marcus Chamat and Niels Feijen.

Mika Immonen, the former world 9-ball champ from Finland, blanked Carlos Cabella of Spain the other day, 9-0, and was going for a slot to the next round against Ibrahim Bin Amir of Malaysia as of presstime.