(Rank No.2 in the world 2004)

'Kilabot' of the Billiard Hall

Last August 15, Bustamante and Parica met again in the finals of the First Western 9-Ball Open Championship at the Crystal Park Casino and Hotel in Compton. This time, Bustamante was favored to beat Parica, who was the unanimous choice for Player of the Year honors in 1997 by three prestigious billiard organizations. But Parica surprised everybody with some outstanding billiard shots and won the $10,000 top purse.
Like Parica, Bustamante prepared for international competition in Japan. From 1991 to 1993, Bustamante competed in Japanese tournaments, including the Japan Open, in which he won once and placed second once. In 1991, Bustamante won the Brunswick Open by defeating American Mike Libron in the finals. Libron was to become his close friend years later

 'By then, Bustamante was already based in Kiel, Germany. A Filipino working in Germany had spotted him during a visit to the Philippines in 1990, and invited Bustamante to go with him to Germany to compete in some tournaments. After showing his skills, an Indonesian who owns a 20-table billiard hall, called Rick’s Cafe, hired Bustamante to become the outfit’s home pro. Bustamante, who speaks good German, continues to work in the billiard hall.
In 1992, Bustamante started competing in the rich U.S. Pro-Billiiards Tour. He won his first U.S. tournament in 1993 at the Bicycle Club Casino in Bell Gardens by beating Earl Strickland, America’s foremost player and currently ranked No. 1 in the world, in the finals. In his first two years in the U.S. tour, Bustamante was ranked in the top 10, but skidded down well below the standings in 1994 and 1995.
In 1996, the rich Camel Pro-Billiard Series, sponsored by tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds, was launched, and Bustamante, like most of the best billiard players, moved to that circuit. He did not fare well in the first year, but in 1997, he won two of the eight legs of the circuit (Nashville and Denver), and was ranked third in the world behind Parica, who was adjudged Player of the Year with three circuit victories. Read more . . .