PINOY RULES U.S. BILLIARD TOURNAMENT
Manila, Nov. 11, 1998 - The Puyat family's sponsorship of Filipino billiard and bowling champs is paying off bigtime in international sports competitions. Francisco "Django" Bustamante won the Tulsa Open in Oklahoma last Sunday after pocketing the final 9-ball to beat Dennis "The Hatchetman" Hatch of the United States, 11-7.
The jubilant Germany-based Filipino pro greeted everyone a "Merry Christmas" after the victory, according to a report received by his sponsors Jose G. Puyat and Aristeo G. Puyat from Camel tournament director Scott C. Smith and RP team manager Rolly Vicente.
With the victory, Bustamante not only pocketed the $12,000 first prize, but also had the $60,000 year-end bonus all locked up by posting an insurmountable total score of 655 points in the points-scoring race for No. 1 ranking.
Only one more tournament is set to be played in the 1998 Camel Pro Billiards Series.
Bustamante defeated Hatch in the final after bouncing back from a Round 4 loss to the American. Bustamante beat Gerry Watson of Montreal, Quebec, 11-9, in the quarterfinals and crushed former WPA 9-Ball world champion Ralf Souquet of Germany, 11-2, in the semifinals.
Teammates Rodolfo Luat and Efren "Bata" Reyes were among the top 10 finishers. Luat was in fifth place behind Bustamante, Hatch, Souquet and Watson. Reyes landed ninth.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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