Billiards' money king PSA's 2008 major awardee

MANILA, Philippines - Dennis Orcollo had a breakout season in 2008.

Delving away from his image as the money-game king of local billiards, the 30-year old Filipino elevated his game further by winning one title after the other, most notable of which being the penultimate leg of the Guinness 9-Ball Tour in Guangzhou, China where he defeated Taiwanese Wang Hung-hsiang for the championship.

This year, Orcollo starts 2009 with another trophy courtesy of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA), which honors him with its major award in billiards during the San Miguel Corporation-PSA Annual Awards Night at the Alegria Lounge of the Manila Pavilion Hotel on Feb. 20.

The pool player joins the short list of major awardees to be feted by the country’s oldest media organization during the two-hour program the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is sponsoring. Others in the group are Kelly Williams (pro basketball), Willy Wang (wushu), Wesley So (chess), Nonito Donaire (pro boxing), Dottie Ardina, Angelo Que, Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin (golf), and Jonathan Hernandez, Ibarra and Go Army (horseracing).

The pride of Surigao kicked off his campaign by bagging the title in the San Miguel Beer-Quezon City 9-Ball Championship, trouncing former World Pool runner-up Roberto Gomez in the final.

He’s back in the winner’s podium a week later, besting 200 cue artists from around the world in topping the rich Japan 9-Ball Open in Tokyo. The Filipino veteran turned back Japanese pro player Ryoji Aoki in the finals, 9-2, and bagged the top prize of two million yen at stake in one of the most anticipated tournaments in the billiards calendar.

 From Japan, Orcollo took his act to Doha, defeating Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, 13-5, in a battle between the world’s top two players for the Qatar International Open 9-Ball Championship.Orcollo then capped the season with his triumph in the Guinness 9-Ball Tour where he edged out Wang in the championship game, 11-9.

The feat earned for him the $15,000 top purse and a slot in the Grand Finals of the meet in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Pacquiao and the 11 major awardees are part of the 60-plus personalities and entities that will be feted in the annual awards night also backed by the Villar Foundation, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Shakey’s, Accel, PBA, PBL, NCRAA, PCSO, SBP, Purefoods, Ginebra, Alaska, Sta. Lucia, Rain or Shine, Ever Bilena, Harbour Centre, Liga Pilipinas, Secretary Lito Atienza, Pharex, GAB and Mighty Sports Association.