Corteza stuns No. 1 Orcollo in final match
TWO-time National Open champion Lee Vann “The Slayer” Corteza lived up to his moniker by beating World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) Player of the Year and World No.1 Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo, 11-7 late Sunday, to win the Manny Pacquiao International 10-ball championships at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.
Corteza, the top player of Negros Billiards Stable and JSY Sports received $30,000 while Orcollo pocketed $10,000 from the $60,000 total purse put up by Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and long-time billiards patron Sebastian “Baste” Chua.
The Davao City native Corteza, whose stint is backed by Energen and Kopiko, marched to the finals after beating 2007 Manny Pacquiao 9-ball ruler Jeffrey “The Bull” de Luna, 11-6, while Orcollo dumped unheralded Jeffrey Diaz, 11-7.
Last month, Corteza also beat Orcollo, 11-8, to pocket the top prize of P350,000 in the Masters category of the 2011 San Miguel Beer Oktoberfest 9-ball Open held at the Resorts World Manila in Pasay City.
“I’m very happy and proud to have won this tournament made by my boxing idol, Cong. (Manny) Pacquiao, sayang nga lang, hindi s’ya nakarating sa awarding kasi sumabay halos sa birthday n’ya,” said Corteza a stalwart of the star-studded Negros Billiards Stable of businessman Jonathan “Bacolod” Sy.
Earlier, Corteza beat 2007 World Pool Championship finalist Roberto “Pinoy Superman” Gomez, 9-6, to arrange a final four showdown with de Luna while Orcollo edged Jundel Mazon, 9-7, to face Diaz.
De luna and Diaz made the semis earlier due to their unbeaten elimination round record. De luna sent Orcollo to the losers brackets while Diaz inflicted Corteza’s only loss.
The winner of the tournament was supposed to play Pacquiao in an exhibition match, but the boxing superstar failed to make it in time but sent a congratulatory message to Corteza and the rest of the players who participated in the event that includes ex-world 9-ball champion Thorsten “The Hitman” Hohmann of Germany, 2008 WPA World Junior silver medallist Jericho Banares and 2011 BSCP National Pool champion Carlo “The Black Tiger” Biado.
