Taiwanese Take First Two Qualifiers

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES---Two bets from Chinese-Taipei barged into the main draw of the inaugural WPA World Ten-Ball Championship (WTBC) slated on September 29 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
 
Pei-Wei Chang and Yu-lung Chang both went unbeaten in six outings in the qualifying event, hosted by BSCP treasurer Sebastian Chua, long-time billiards patron.
 
Pei Wei, runner-up to Alex Pagulayan in the World 9-Ball Championship in 2004, edged 1997 Jakarta Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Victor Arpilleda of the Philippines, 9-6, to rule Qualifier 1 to make it to the main draw.
 
Bouncing back from an 0-3 deficit, Arpilleda, who hails from Madrid, Surigao del Sur
had a chance to secure the lead after a good break in the 13th rack, pocketing three balls on the break. Unfortunately, the yellow No.1 was left covered by the blue No.2, allowing Pei Wei to get another chance. The Taiwanese bet cleaned up the table and took the remaining racks for the win.    
 
"The turning point was in the 13th rack." Said Arpilleda, a pool instructor in Jakarta.
 
Pei Wei earlier beat Roland dela Cruz, 7-4, Richard Alinsub, 7-3, Chun-Yang Hsu, 7-5, and Hung-ming Chu before beating Arpilleda.
 
Meanwhile, Yu Lung subdued his compatriot Po Hsien Lee, 9-4, in his last match to secure a berth in the main draw topping Qualifier 2 of Stage One. He earlier whipped Jean Berille, 7-3; dumped Alfred Triestanto, 7-4; scuttled Jim Burt, 7-4; hurdled past Leonardo Didal, 7-5; and upstaged Hui Chan Lu, 7-6.
 
Yesterday (Wednesday), Arpilleda had a bad start in Qualifier 3 losing to countryman Arnel Bautista, 1-7.
 
Bautista, playing under the banner of Magi stable never looked back after taking a 5-0 commanding lead in the race-to-7, single knock-out system.  Bautista, who hails from Cebu stuned Japanese Booe Uyji, 7-4, to join other unbeaten players Hsun-cheng Lu, Chun-Nan Kyu, Hung-Ming Chu of Chinese-Taipei, Furuta Kazao of Japan and compatriots James Al Ortega and Reyner Espejo also from Cebu.
 
RP child prodigy Jonas Magpantay also competing in the qualification tournament. The 14-year-old Magpantay, a grade six-pupil of Pedro Tuazon Elementary School in Cubao is the Philippine representative together with Jerecho Banares in this year's WPA World Junior of Pool slated on November 30 to December 4 in Reno, Nevada.