Corteza seeks second straight pool title

MANILA, Philippines - Lee Vann Corteza guns for his second straight victory in as many weeks as he heads a crack roster of Filipino players seeing action in the Party Poker World Pool Masters firing off May 12 in Las Vegas.

Corteza, who downed American Rodney Morris, 11-7, to cop the Annual Hard Times-Mezz Cues 10-ball Open crown last Sunday, hopes to start out strong against a field teeming with talents and contend for the crown in the five-day event.

Joining Corteza are former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes, Ronnie Alcano and Alex Pagulayan, Jose Parica, Francisco Bustamante, Dennis Orcullo, Marlon Manalo, Roberto Gomez, Warren Kiamco, Santos Sambajon and Ramon Mistica.

The Pinoy bets are also set to compete in the US Open 10-Ball Championships slated May 17-22, also at the Riviera Hotel and Casino.