Orcollo leads hunt in Villar Cup Bacolod leg

The chase for billiards honors resumes tomorrow with world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo leading the hunt in the Bacolod leg of the first Senate President Manny Villar Cup at the Garden Royal Function Hall of Goldenfields Commercial Complex in Bacolod City.

The 29-year-old Orcollo, playing out of the Bugsy Promotions stable, has already won four major tournaments this year, but is coming off a pair of heartbreaks in the international arena. He and Francisco “Django” Bustamante settled for joint third in the recent World Cup of Pool while reaching the semifinals in the Guinness 9-ball grand finals last month.

“I hope to regain my winning ways and I want to do it here in Villar Cup,” said Orcollo, who ruled the Quezon City 9-ball Championship, the All-Japan Open, the Qatar International 9-ball Open and the Guinness Tour Guangzhou leg.

But out to foil Orcollo in the fifth edition of the island-hopping series presented by Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports, are the other top local players, led by Bustamante and Efren “Bata” Reyes, plus a crack roster of foreign challengers headed by former World Cup of Pool winner Fu Jianbo of China.

“It will be tough but I’m confident of my chances here,” said Orcollo, runner-up to Gandy Valle in the Cebu leg of the series.

Others vying for top honors are former world champions Alex Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano, Lee Van Corteza, and the other Villar Cup leg winners Kiamco (Alabang), Ramil Gallego (Bulacan) and Roberto Gomez (Davao).