Taiwanese nails Open 10-ball slot

MANILA, Philippines - Chang Yu Lung of Chinese Taipei dominated Filipino bet Joven Bustamante, 9-2, to clinch the first of 10 Philippine Open pool berths at the start of the qualifiers at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City yesterday.

Chang broke away from a 1-1 count by taking eight of the next nine racks then parlayed Bustamante’s miscalculated safety shot in the 11th frame to score the match-clinching victory and a spot in the tournament proper of the 10-ball event sanctioned by the World Pool Billiards Association.

Bustamante squeezed into the final round by beating Chang’s compatriot, former world pool runner-up Pei Wei Cheng, in the semifinals but fell short of his bid for the coveted berth.

Nine more spots for the men’s and four for women’s will still be disputed in the next qualifying stages with the main event slated April 7-11 at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City.

Eight other men’s elims will be held today till April 4 while the women’s qualifiers are set April 4-5.

The world’s leading cue masters, including former champions, banner the field in the Philippine Open to be aired live on TV 5 and Channel 13 starting April 7. ESPN-Star Sports will broadcast the event in all its Asian channels.