Gomez top seed in Vegas International 10-Ball

MANILA, Philippines – Reigning two-time Villar Cup champion Roberto Gomez will be the top seed when the ninth Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship begins its knockout stage today at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

It was an astounding feat for the 30-year-old stalwart, who is playing for the first time in the US pool circuit. The 2007 World Pool runner-up lost only three racks in his first three matches in this $86,000 event organized by Dragon Promotions.

“I’m very happy with my performance,” said the pride of Zamboanga City. “But I know that I still have to step up game in the knockout phase and even though I’m the top seed, I still have to win five matches just like everybody else.”

“In the 2006 World Pool I was also the top seed going into the KO round but I was eliminated by Ronnie Alcano right at the start of it,” he added.

Gomez opened his campaign for the prestigious title and the $20,000 top prize with a 10-0 blanking of Matt Krah, then followed it up with 10-2 blasting of top West Coast pro Max Eberle, before humiliating US No.5 Charlie Bryant.

Gomez is one of the 16 players who barged into the Last 32 via the winners’ bracket. Former world champion Alex Pagulayan and Warren Kiamco also swept their first three matches.

Pagulayan defeated Melissa Little, Kurt Kobayashi and Mike Davis all by the score of 10-3, while Kiamco, after drawing first round bye, won over Kim Shaw, 10-3, and compatriot Lee Van Corteza, 10-4.

The other half of the Last 32 will come from the one-loss side, where four more Filipinos were contending at presstime.

Former world no.1 Dennis Orcollo needs to win against Jeremy Sossei to make it to the KO phase, while Ramil Gallego, who lost his opening match but won three straight against Mark Wilkie (10-8), Kobayashi (10-4) and Kelly Fisher (10-3) to stay in contention, has to hurdle top US pro Charlie Williams.

Corteza and Rodolfo Luat unfortunately found themselves facing each other for one of the backdoor slots. Luat, who was sent into the losers’ bracket after a second round defeat, managed to stay in the tournament by beating Mike Cohen (10-0) and former world no.2 Niels Feijen (10-7).

Three other Filipinos were already booted out in the event. Jose “Amang” Parica absorbed his second loss against Rafael Martinez, 10-7, while Santos Sambajon was eliminated by former world champion Daryl Peach, 10-4, and Al Lapena succumbed to Vincent Facquet of France, 10-9.

All players who qualify to the knockout stage are assured of at least $1,050.