Gomez 1st double-leg winner in Villar Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Roberto Gomez became the first double leg winner in the Manny Villar Cup, beating Warren Kiamco, 11-9, in the final to rule the Isabela leg before a packed crowd at the La Sallette High School Gymnasium in Santiago City, Isabela yesterday.

Gomez battled back from a 3-6 deficit as he pounced on Kiamco’s missed shot on the orange 5 in the ninth frame, winning four of the next five racks to seize an 8-7 lead. He then survived Kiamco’s own fightback by sweeping two racks from a 9-all count to bag the crown worth P300,000.

The victory came after Gomez, the 2007 World Pool Championship runner-up, lost to Francisco “Django” Bustamante in the final of the Panagbenga leg in Baguio leg last February in the island-hopping series presented by Sen. Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports.

The 30-year-old Gomez opened his campaign with a tough 9-7 win over local qualifier Alvin Alcantara. He also had to buck a poor start before prevailing in his next two matches against Michael Feliciano (9-6) and Ruben Cuna (9-5).

In the semifinals, Gomez pulled through with a 10-6 victory over Bulacan leg titlist and newly crowned Japan Open champion Ramil Gallego to gain a crack at the crown for the third time in the series co-organized by the BMPAP, sponsored by Camella Communities and sanctioned by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.

Gomez yielded the lag, and the first three racks, enabling Kiamco to seize control in the early part of the final match.

Kiamco, who upended Efren “Bata” Reyes, 10-4, in their Final Four, led, 6-3, but flubbed a shot No. 5, paving the way for a Gomez comeback.

Kiamco, who won the inaugural Alabang leg, settled for P120,000.