FILIPINO-CANADIAN Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan defeated Mexican-American Oscar “The Big O” Dominguez, 11-9, in the finals to win the 16th Annual Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball Tournament last Feb. 4 to 5 at the Hard Times Billiards Hall in Belflower, California, USA.
The Cabagan, Isabela native Pagulayan went home with the champion’s prize of $3,000 for capturing the title in this two-day event drawing a full field of 192 players.
The former WPA World 9-Ball Champion Pagulayan, who plays under the banner of sportsman/ businessman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat also won the title last year.
The diminutive Pagulayan jumped to a quick, 10-3 lead in the race-to-11 affair. However, Dominguez won six straight racks to close in at 10-9.
The winning game came down to a moment of luck or redemption depending on the perspective. Dominguez again executed a strong safe leaving Pagulayan in the unenviable position of having to kick at the 1-ball for legal contact.
Using sonic speed, Pagulayan sent the cue ball off a long rail, hit the one ball, then the rock careened off the opposite long rail into the pack of balls that housed the 9. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino