April 14, 2004, Hong Kong . . . World-class 9-ball action arrives in Hong Kong for the first time when current world number one player Francisco Bustamante leads a field of 32 top Asian players for the third leg of the five-city San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour at the Hong Kong Football Club in Hong Kong.
Featuring a field with 8 of the world's top-50 players, the competition this weekend also provides the opportunity for the 32 participating players to garner qualifying points towards the World Pool Championships in July. The Tour is the only ranking event in Asia for players to qualify to the World Pool Championships.
Adding to the stakes will be a prize money purse of US$50,000 up for grabs this weekend and on each subsequent stop of the San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour: Taipei (May 7-9) and Manila (May 29-30). The main draw includes players from 12 Asian countries/ regions.
Efren ‘Bata” Reyes is the only winner in the 2004 Tour after the Magician swept both titles in Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City. In the Ho Chi Minh City leg last month, Reyes came back from 5-9 to take six racks in a row to beat Fong-Pang Chao of Chinese Taipei in the final between two former world champions.
Both Reyes and Chao will definitely be the players to beat in Hong Kong. But these 9-ball giants will face up against the likes of world number one player Francisco Bustamante and triple runner-up of the Tour Warren Kiamco, both from the Philippines, Busan Asian Games 9-Ball bronze medallist and current world number nine Young-Hwa Jeong of Korea, as well as last year's Singapore leg champion Ching-Shun Yang and two-time world youth champion Hui-Kai Hsia of Chinese Taipei.
At this third leg of 2004, host Hong Kong will be represented by their 2002 Asian Games snooker event medallists Au Chi Wai, Fung Kwok Wai as well as Dek Chiu and Thomas Wong. All the action will be carried on STAR Sports on May 1-2 (Singapore/Hong Kong time).
For all information on the Tour, please check out www.asian9-balltour.com. For the latest schedules and program information on ESPN STAR Sports, catch us on the net at www.espnstar.com.
San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour, Hong Kong 2004 on STAR Sports
May 1 15:30 (T) 16:30 (R) May 3 Quarter-finals
May 2 14:00 (T) 19:00 (R) May 4 Semi-final #1
May 2 15:30 (T) 19:00 (R) May 5 Semi-final #2
May 2 17:00 (T) 19:00 (R) May 6 Final
Hong Kong/ Singapore Time. Schedule subject to change.
Sanctioned by the Asian Pocket Billiard Union, the San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour is organized by ESPN STAR Sports' Event Management Group (EMG). San Miguel Beer is the title sponsor for the Tour. Iwan Simonis and Aramith supply the official tablecloth and official balls respectively. STAR Sports is the official broadcaster. In the Hong Kong leg, Olio is the official table, Hong Kong Pool Club is the official supporter and Hong Kong Football Club is the official venue. The 2004 Tour has events in Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Taipei and Manila. Besides total prize money of US$250,000, top 10 on the Tour Order of Merit every year will directly qualify into the World Pool Championships.
