Two more top drawer players made it through the 2006 Philippines World Pool Championship Qualifying Event yesterday as action resumed at the plush Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.
With near on 120 players competing in the toughest Q School in World Pool, the tried and tested names of Hsia Hui-kai (Taiwan) and the Philippines' Antonio Lining won Events 5 and 6 respectively.
Both players have plenty of World Championship experience between them and will be considered real threats when battle commences on Saturday November 4.
Hsia, who has enjoyed an uninterrupted five year spell in the WPC finals, was a quarter-finalist in 2003 where he lost to Malta's Tony Drago. The Kaohsiung-based potter took care of local hope Rudy Morta by 9-7 and now lines up in Group 27, headed by seeded player Vilmos Foldes (Hungary).
Lining won through the second of the days qualifying tourneys as he put paid to the hopes of another Taiwanese – Huang Chune-wei - by a 9-4 scoreline in the final match.
Lining, 43, has the dubious honour of joining Group 11 alongside three dangerous Europeans; 2001 World Champion Mika Immonen (Finland), Spain's David Alcaide and Marco Tschudi of Switzerland.
However, Lining has a good track record in the event – he was a quarter-finalist in '98 and has reached the last 16 on two occasions in 2001 and 2002.
Play continues through Tuesday 31 October with two more spots to be decided.
