FIL-CANADIAN Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan is the last Filipino standing in the 2011 US Open 9-Ball Championships.
Pagulayan, playing under the banner of sportsman/businessman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat, outlasted Larry Nevel of the United States, 11-7, yesterday at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA.
He will face Darren Appleton of Great Britain in the hot seat match. Appleton downed American Shawn Putnam, 11-7.
The Toronto-based Pagulayan, who express confidence of duplicating his win here in 2005, earlier beat Huidji See of the Nethlerlands, 11-3.
Cebuano Warren Kiamco and Antonio Lining joined other Filipino bets in the sidelines. Kiamco lost to Dennis Hatch of the USA, 11- 5, while Lining bowed to Kenichi Uchigaki of Japan, 11-5.
The Filipinos’ US Open 9-ball campaign is backed up by Energen, Kopiko, Negros Billiards Stable and Puyat Sports. /Correspondent MARLON BERNARDINO