PULPUL TO PLAY IN WORLD 9-BALL CHINA OPEN

CEBU CITY—Demosthenes “Plong-Plong” Pulpul goes overseas for the second time in his budding career when he plays in the 2009 (JUS) World 9-Ball China Pudong Tang Cheng Open on June 11 to 14 at the Pudong Yuanshen Gymnasium in Shanghai, China.

The Manila/Cebu based Pulpul, playing under the banner of Cebuano sportsman/ businessman Paul Monera Magadan of Magi Group and MPC Trading carved his name in the big stage after twice beating former Asian Games 9-ball gold medalist Yang Ching-Shun of Taiwan during the 2008 WPA World Ten Ball Championship last year at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) where he finished joint third.

“I will just play my very best.”said Pulpul, also a semifinalist in the just-concluded Philippine Open Pool Championships in SM Megamall.

Magadan, a Civil engineering graduate student and a strong Class C player in the local pool said: “We (Magi Group) hope that Plong-Plong (Demosthenes Pulpul) will perform well in the China Open., ”

The format calls they will play a double round robin for the race-to-nine in the last 64 (Stage 2), while single knock-out affair will be employ in the last 32 in the US $40,000 championship prize with the runner-up will bring home $20,000 while the losing-semi-finalists gets $5,500 each. The prizes up to the last 32 according to the organizing group.

Also competing in the event are Philippine Pool Championships finalists Jeffrey de Luna, 2006 Doha Asian games 9-ball gold medallist Antonio Gabica, 2005 World Pool Championship semi-finalist Marlon Manalo and 2008 WPA World Junior runner-up Jerico Banares. The Filipino pool wizards also would like to thank the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) headed by its president Sebastian Chua and chairman Yen Makabenta and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) led by Harry Angping for their undying support regarding the China Open.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO