Filipino Roberto Gomez outclassed Taiwan’s Lee Kun-fang, 9-5, Tuesday to book his spot in the 2007 World Pool Championship kicking off Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Unfazed by Lee, the 1997 world pool runner-up, the 29-year-old Gomez took control early and went on to top the finals of Qualifier 7 at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.
It will be Gomez’s second straight appearance in the 128-man main event. He joins Group 16 and will meet top seed Niels Feijen of Holland on Nov. 6.
He is the second Filipino to advance from the qualifiers after veteran Leonardo Andam also made it Monday night by topping his own side of the qualifier, bringing the total number of local bets in the world tilt to 15.
Gomez advanced to the knockout round-of-64 in 2006, but was eliminated by Ronnie Alcano, who went all the way to capture the coveted crown.
Meanwhile, Chang Yau-Mau subdued fellow Taiwanese Chu Hung-Ming, 9-6, to nail down the eighth qualifying slot.
Chang faces newly crowned US Open champion Shane Van Boening, seeded first in Group 13, also on Nov. 6.
Van Boening, who defeated Alcano for the US Open championship, is scheduled to arrive tonight.