FIL-AM WINS ORLANDO QUALIFIER FOR THE WOMEN’S WORLD 10-BALL

(in photo): Jeannie Seaver

Filipina-American Jeannie Seaver bested a huge field of hopefuls to rule the qualifying tournament in Orlando, Florida and secure a ticket to the forthcoming Women’s World 10-Ball Championship slated on June 2 to 6 at SM City North Edsa in Quezon City.

Seaver swept all his matches, including a 7-2 thumping of Guam’s sensational billiards beauty star Shanelle Loraine in the finals, to become the fourth Filipina to make it to the 48-man main draw of this historic event organized by Dragon Promotions in cooperation with JBETpoker.net, ABS-CBN, SM Mall North Edsa, Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila, Bugsy Promotions and recognized by the BMPAP and BSCP.

“I’m super super excited about going to Manila for the World Championship! My whole family is thrilled and many of them might come with me,” exclaimed Seaver, who failed to qualify in the previous qualifying tournament.

In her second try, Seaver won her preliminary matches fairly easily before dispatching Loraine 7-2 in the winner’s bracket finals. The event was double elimination. Loraine bounced back with a win over Jeannie’s older sister Vanessa Seaver 5-3. The finals almost pitted two Fil-Am sisters before Loraine interrupted. Though the dramatically improved Loraine defeated several top amateurs vying for the spot, she was outmatched by Seaver in the 7-2 finale

Seaver was a former top 20 ranked pro on the Women’s Pro Billiards Tour in the USA. She quit the tour a year ago to study nursing, but keeps up her game on weekend tournaments. She was a 3x Florida Women’s Pro Tour Player of the Year. She is currently the house pro and sponsored by Island Breakers in Merritt Island, Florida where she lives nearby.

Seaver will join fellow Fil-Am Zarah Del Rosario of Chicago, Illnois, along with US Open runner-up Iris Ranola and World 9-Ball Championship runner-up Rubilen Amit in what was billed as the biggest women’s sporting event in the Philippines this year.

There’s also a posibility that more Filipinas will make it as there will be an Open Qualifiers on May 31 and June 1 in Manila.

The event, which will run under the theme “Billiards, the sport of the Philippines. The sport of the people” is sanctioned by the World Pool and Billiard Association.

The Women’s World 10-Ball Championship will have massive media attention including 25 hours of live coverage on ABS-CBN, the leading TV channel of the Philippines. 48 women from around the globe will attend the event vying for $20,000 (1M) 1st place prize out of the $75,000 (3.75M) purse available. SM Mall North Edsa, Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila and JBETPOKER.net are some of the primary sponsors of the event.

Bmpap Release