Feliciano, Villafuerte, Gonzales among semifinalists in Sharks 9-ball tilt

MANILA, Philippines – Three Filipinos and a Taiwanese national will go head-to-head in the semifinals of the Sharks International 9-ball Open Friday afternoon.

Filipinos Michael Feliciano and Oliver Villafuerte will face each other in the semifinals of the competition, while Patric Gonzales and Taiwan’s Ko Ping Chung will clash for a ticket to the finals.

Chung defeated Naoyuki Oi of Japan, 13-8, to enter the Final Four of the competition, while Gonzales defeated Paul John Ladao in the quarterfinals.

Villafuerte thwarted fellow Filipino Drahcir Mauricio, 13-9, to set up the match against Feliciano, who edged Jhon La Garde, 13-11, on Thursday.

Feliciano, Villafuerte, Gonzales and Chung are the last men standing in the tournament that started with 128 players.

Of the 128 players, 64 are Filipinos, while the other 64 are ranking players of the World 9-ball Tour from various countries worldwide.

The winner of the competition will win $30,000, while the second-placer will pocket $15,000.The semifinalists will bring home $7,500 each; quarterfinalists $3,750 each; those in the last 16 $1,750 each; and the final 32 $700 each.

Mark Orendain, the head of marketing of Sharks Billiard League, said the competition is the first international billiards tournament that the Philippines hosted in about a decade.

“What we are trying to do is really to reignite the sport and reignite the industry. The players, the local players, now are more inspired. They are feeling very hopeful for their careers,” Orendain told reporters.

Orendain said Friday’s tournament is just the first of many.

“We really plan to hold a series of global tournaments,” he added.

The group is also cooking up a series of exhibition matches headlined by big names in the world of billiards.