Cebu Daily News / Sports

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/sports/view_article.php?article_id=213666

Gabica, Pulpul off to hot start Cebu Daily News Posted date: July 03, 2009 MARLON “Marvelous” Manalo and Cebuano aces Antonio “Ga-Ga” Gabica and Demosthenes Pulpul, dumped their respective foes at yesterday’s start of the 2009 Qatar International 9-ball Pool Championship at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation in Doha, Qatar. Gabica of Lapu-Lapu City, ripped compatriot Elvis Calasang, 9-2, while Manalo routed Jeong Young Hwa of Korea, 9-3. 2008 World Ten Ball Championships semifinalist Pulpul, playing under the banner of Cebuano Paul Monera Magadan of the Magi Group, crushed Kenny Kwik of Hongkong, 9-0. Meanwhile, Francisco Felicilda scored the biggest upset on opening day when he stunned defending champion Dennis Orcollo, 9-7, in the $40,000 top prize tournament, which uses the double knockout format. Also winning their matches were Joven Alba, who trounced Mariusz Skoneczny of Poland, 9-1; Raymund Faraon, who bested Fabio Petroni of Italy, 9-6 and Venancio Tanio, who dumped Serge Das of Belgium, 9-3. Orcollo, the 2006 World Pool Leaque champion, still has a chance to advance to the money round through the losers’ bracket which also included three RP bets who lost yesterday. Naoyuki Ooi of Japan waylaid Joyme Vicente, 9-4; Imran Majid of Great Britain edged Valerino Pajuay, 9-8 and Kuo Po Cheng of Chinese-Taipei beat Jeffrey De Luna, 9-7. Others who won yesterday include World 9-ball ruler Daryl Peach of Great Britain, World 8-ball kingpin Ralf Souquet of Germany, Philippine Pool Championships ruler Ricky Yang of Indonesia, Vilmos Foldes of Hungrary, Radoslaw Babica of Poland, Shane Van Boening of the US and World Junior titlist Ko Pin-yi of Chinese-Taipei.