BUSTAMANTE RULES VILLAR CUP PANAGBENGA LEG

BAGUIO CITY – Francisco “Django” Bustamante came up with a near-flawless performance in holding off Roberto Gomez, 11-7, in the finals to complete a sweep and rule the Panagbenga leg of The Manny Villar Cup Sunday night at the Event Center of SM City Baguio.

It was a breakthrough feat for the 44-year-old former world no.1, who has not won a major title since winning the Derby City Classic Master of the Table plum in January 2007, and who has not moved past the quarterfinals in the previous legs of this prestigious island-hopping series presented by Senator Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports.

“I’m very happy for this win because this Villar is one of the toughest tournament not just here in the Philippines but in the whole world,” said the pride of Tarlac, who also pocketed the P300,000 cash prize at stake in this three-day event sponsored by Camella Communities.

After splitting the first six racks with both players holding their own breaks, Bustamante stole Gomez’s break after the latter was forced to play a safety on a difficult layout.

That ignited 6-2 run that gave Bustamate a 9-5 lead. Gomez, who is looking to duplicate his title run in Davao, attempted to bounce back and managed to close in at 9-7, but that proved to be his last stand as Bustamante broke and ran out the 17^th frame, and then won in the battle of safety shots in the next to close out the match celebrate the adding of another feather into highly-revered cap.

“I congratulate you Django for winning this Panagbenga leg,” said Senator Villar during the awarding ceremony witnessed by a jampacked crowd. “You are a hero of this nation and we are very proud of you.”

Villar, who is now the biggest benefactor of Philippine billiards, also cited teenage bet Rene Mar David for his second runner-up finish.

“I’m happy to see that our young players like Rene Mar are slowly catching up with our superstars as it shows that we are achieving our main objective in putting up this Villar Cup, which is to develop more world-class pool players and continue our dominance in the sport,” added Villar.

David, the 19-year-old upstart from Candon, Ilocos Sur, won his first three matches, including a mammoth upset of pool icon Efren “Bata” Reyes in the second round, before bowing to Bustamante, 10-8, in the semifinals..

Gomez, who was trying to become the first two-time Villar Cup winner, settled for the runner-up purse of P120,000, while David and other losing semifinalist Warren Kiamco took home P40,000 each.

A total of 32 players competed in the main draw in this sixth stage of the Villar Cup, including two local bets in Oscar LaPuebla and Benedict Rojo.

The series will have its next stop in Quezon (Lucena City) next month.

Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) president Atty. Vic Rodriguez also said that Villar will be the chief backer of the national championship they are organizing.

BY: Bmpap Release