The 33rd Annual US Open 9-Ball Championship has been taking place over the past few days at the Chesapeake Convention Center in Chesapeake, Virginia. The best of the best players have showed up to play and hopefully take the top honor. Two players have shown great promise for the win and so far remain undefeated.

Francisco Bustamante and Ronnie Alcano have both remained undefeated in the competition. Alcano beat Lee Van Corteza 11-9 while Bustamante beat Oscar Dominguez 11-1. Both players remain in the winner’s bracket after playing five rounds.

Alcano plays for Bugsy Promotions and Bustamante is playing for Puyat Sports. Both are members of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines and are supported by the Senate President Manny Villar’s Villards.

During the competition Jose Parica from the US defeated the defending champion Shane Van Boening 11-10 and became one of the eight players left. Two hundred and thirty eight players started the competition vying for the US$40,000 prize.

Also left on the winners side is Mika Immonen, Johnny Archer, Thorsten Hohmann, Darryl Peach and Rodney Morris. Immonen beat Shan Putnam 11-1 while Archer was playing Brandon Shuff and won 11-5. Pteri Makkonen was beaten by Hohmann 11-2.

Next Alcano and Bustamante will be against each other and Parica will meet Immonen. Peach will face Archer and Morris will face Hohmann. These matchups will be very interesting as all have performed well in the competition.



- 2008-10-24