4 PH bets advance in 2017 World Pool Series

FOUR Filipino cue masters posted two straight victories to advance to the third round of the prestigious 2017 World Pool Series - Grand Finale being held at the Steinway Billiards in Astoria, New York.

Former World 9-Ball champion Alex Pagulayan and 2011 World 8-Ball titlist Dennis Orcollo led the winners along with Jeffrey De Luna and Johann Chua in the tournament sanctioned by the World Pool- Billiard Association.

Pagulayan opened his bid with a 9-7 win over compatriot Carlo Biado then nailed another 9-4 win over American Brandon Shuff in the second round while Orcollo started his campaign on a high note by blanking American Dylan Spohr in the first round (9-0) and teammate Lee Vann Corteza in the second round (9-3).

Sharing the spotlight were De Luna, who defeated Espen Andersen of Norway (9-4) and John Morra of Canada (9-8), and Chua, winner over Taiwanese Kai Lun Hsu (9-6) and Filipino Roberto Gomez (9-8).

In the third round, Pagulayan battles American Justin Bergman, who trounced Kevin Cheng of Taiwan (9-5); Orcollo faces Petri Makkonen of Ireland, who stunned Filipino Zoren James Aranas (9-6); De Luna takes on American Shaun Wilkie, who clobbered Zion Zvi of Israel (9-4); and Chua tackles Chang Yu Lung of Taiwan, who toppled compatriot Wu Kun Lin (9-5)

Biado, Corteza, Gomez and Aranas fell to the losers’ bracket along with Ronnie Alcano and Warren Kiamco who also suffered defeated in the second round of the event, which has $14,000 to the champion and $7,500 to the runner-up.

Alcano scored a 9-7 first-round win over Australian Ben Crawley but succumbed to Klenti Kaci of Albania in the second round (9-3) while Kiamco also earned a 9-7 win in the first round over American Devin Poteet before losing to Ruslan Chinakov of Russia in the second round (9-7).

Biado, Corteza, Gomez, Aranas, Alcano and Kiamco must win their remaining games to stay in contention in the event that employs a doubleelimination format.