Regalario to play pool in US for first time
RISING Filipino pool sensation Bernie Regalario debuts in the United States as he was invited to play in the Premier Pool League from March 18 to 25 at the US 1 Billiards in West Haven, Connecticut.
The weeklong tournament gathered 16 of the world’s elite 9-ball players, facing each other in a round-robin, race-to-5 format preliminary round. The top four players will advance in the playoffs.
Popularly known as the “Li’l Prince” in the pool world, Regalario will open his campaign against 2-time World 9-Ball champion Albin Ouschan of Austria, US Open champion Joshua Filler of Germany and world No. 1 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain on Day One of the tournament.
Regalario was accompanied in the US by Marboys Billiards Club CEO and president JR Velasco, who has been supporting the careers of young Filipino pool players.
“I will do my very best for the flag and country,” said the 19-yearold Regalario.
“I would like to thank Matchroom Pool managing director Emily Frazer for inviting me to participate in this prestigious event and I would also like to thank Sir JR Velasco and Sir Marvin Paringit for supporting my dream to compete in a prestigious pool tournament in the US.”
Regalario recently placed runnerup to compatriot Carlo Biado in the 2nd Chinese Taipei Open 9-ball pool championship in Taipei City.
“From humble beginnings of learning the game at the tender age of 10, to beating the great Efren Reyes when he was 14 yrs old and now to his US debut in Premier League Pool, Filipino pool champ Bernie Regalario has gone a long way in achieving his dreams to become a professional pool player and represent his country in the sport’s biggest stage,” said Velasco, who joined forces with Marvin Paringit in supporting Regalario’s trip in the USA.
“We will always be proud of this young man more popularly known as Benok in the community and now earned the moniker of Li’L Prince.”
Another Filipino, Michael Feliciano, is also playing in the tournament.The other players competing in the tournament are 5-time US Open winner Shane Van Boening of USA, 2023 US Open champion Ko Ping Chung of Chinese-Taipei, 2023 Hanoi Open champion Jayson Shaw of Great Britain, two-time World Cup of Pool champ Mario He of Austria, 2023 European Open champ David Alcaide of Spain, 2023 Spanish Open champ Dang Jin Hu of China, 2023 US Open runnerup Fedor Gorst of USA, Vietnam’s number one player Nguyen Anh Tuan, 2-time Mosconi Cup MVP Skyler Woodward of USA, 2023 World Pool Master champ Ko Pin Yi of Chinese-Taipei and 23-yearold Wiktor Zielinski of Poland.
The Premier League Pool has a total prize fund of $100,000 with the champion getting the lion’s share of $20,000.
The runner-up will pocket $12,500 while the losing semifinalists get $8,000 apiece.