Pagulayan enters US Open 8-Ball finals

FORMER world champion Alex Pagulayan barged into the finals of the 2017 US Open 8- Ball Championship being held at the Griff’s Activity Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pagulayan earned an openinground bye then won over Danny Stone (8-6) in the second round, Skyler Woodward ( 8- 2) in the third round and Denis Grabe (83) in the fourth round.

However, Pagulayan suffered a 7- 8 loss to compatriot Dennis Orcollo in the fifth round and was relegated to the losers’ bracket.

Pagulayan then scored successive wins in the one-loss side including victories over teammates Lee Vann Corteza ( 8- 4) and Orcollo in the do-or-die semis match (8-6) to secure his berth in the championship round. The 2004 World 9-Ball champion arranged a finals showdown with American Shane Van Boening, who posted an 8- 4 win over Orcollo in the semifinals of the winners’ column.

Van Boening is undefeated in the elimination round.

Van Boening is undefeated in the elimination round.

He beat Sina Valizadeh (8-2), Manuel Perez (8-5), Josh Roberts (8-3) and Corteza (8-6).

Roberto Gomez, Warren Kiamco and Francisco Bustamante were not as lucky.

Gomez succumbed to Danny Olson (7-8) and Dennis Hatch (6-8), Kiamco lost to Hatch (7-8) and Olson (5-8), and Bustamante bowed to Grabe (7-8) and Waleed Majid (7-8).

A whopping $13,500 cash prize awaits the champion while the runner-up gets $7,400.

Guangzhou Asian Games silver medalist Warren Kiamco recently bagged the runner-up trophy in the 2017 US Open 10-Ball Championship held at the same venue. Ironically, Van Boening beat Kiamco in the finals, 5-9.