Alex “The lion”  Pagulayan disposed of compatriot Francisco “Django” Bustamante, 8-4, in the semifinals, and then came from behind to turn back fellow former world champion Mika Immonen, 8-6, to crown himself champion of the 2008 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters Monday at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The win gave Pagulayan the $20,000 top purse, and more important, gave the flamboyant 28-year-old Filipino his first title this year.

“This is like winning the World Championship for me. I’ve always wanted it but I’ve finally broken the ice,” said a jubilant Pagulayan, a stalwart of Puyat Sports and a member of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP).

After his relatively easy victory over Bustamante, Pagulayan found himself trailing, 6-3, against the equally determined Immonen, who made it to the title showdown after trouncing 18-year-old Taiwanese sensation Ko Pin-yi in their Final Four match.

But the match had a sudden twist after Immonen committed an illegal break of the 10th rack, where he pocketed a ball, but failed to carry two other balls past the headstring.

From there, Pagulayan cleared the table to gain the momentum and became stronger in the closing stages to take victory. He pocketed five consecutive racks in doing so.

“This is 9-ball, and I couldn’t get too upset because I didn’t get a chance. I thought if he runs the set, then he runs the set but I knew that if I got a chance, I would need to focus and concentrate and do the best I can,” explained Pagulayan, whose previous best finish in this annual event was runner-up to Ralf Souquet in 2006.

“I really didn’t think I’d won it until the last 9 ball dropped but there were lots of people who like watching me, and that was good for me to have that support,” he added.

Immonen settled for the runner-up purse worth $10,000, while Bustamante, who won the tournament in 1998 and 2001, took home $5,000, the same amount received by Ko.

Pagulayan and Bustamante will be joined by Efren “Bata” Reyes as they compete in the Predator International 10-Ball Championship starting today, also in Las Vegas.

Back to square one

SALT LAKE CITY—Kobe Bryant frowned and pulled out his newest acquisition, an electro-stimulation device that traveled along his aching back.

Lion King

Alex “The lion”  Pagulayan disposed of compatriot Francisco “Django” Bustamante, 8-4, in the semifinals, and then came from behind to turn back fellow former world champion Mika Immonen, 8-6, to crown himself champion of the 2008 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters Monday at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

TWO Filipinos are now in the Czech Republic strutting their stuff in baseball.

Pitcher Jon Jon Robles of the University of Santo Tomas and the Makati Mariners, and Edgar de los Reyes, the national team manager, have been recruited to play for the Arrows Ostrava in the Extraliga, a Czech commercial league which is one of the more popular leagues in Europe.

BAGUIO CITY—Even in high altitude, Harbour Centre managed to hold fort to move to a win away of returning to the finals for the fifth-straight time.

Filipino Marcel Puyat produced a final-round one-under-par 71 to claim his third title in the sixth leg of the International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT).

HORSE owner Nery Sunga, of 2008 Horse of the Year Es Twenty Six fame, is such a very busy man ever since.

While attending to his main business managing the Sanry Foreign Exchange, he still has time to look into the needs of his constituents in barangay Guadalupe in Makati. Besides, he also has time managing his several minihotels and resorts all at the same time.