Thursday, June 30, 2005
Andam makes 9-ball final
By Mike T. Limpag
Sun.Star Correspondent
Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, and Rodolfo “Boy Samson” Luat couldn’t do what Leonardo “Dodong” Andam did – get into the finals of the 5th Motolite Philippine 9-Ball International Open at the Robinson’s Galleria yesterday.
Playing just after compatriot Boy Samson lost, 11-5, to Taiwan’s Yang Ching Shun in the other semifinal, the burden of defending the home turf fell on Andam, who was an early casualty in the 4th Sun.Star Superbalita 9-Ball Challenge.
Safe play
Against Pei We Chang, the 2004 World Pool Championship runner-up Andam opted to play safe, keeping it close in the early goings. Chang moved up, 6-4, but his apparent weakness in the safety game allowed Andam to level at 6-all.
Chang managed to go up, 8-6, after a good break and an Andam scratch in the next.
Rack 15 saw both players in another safety battle, where Andam’s experience gave him the rack to make it 8-all.
Chang moved up, 9-8, before a miss allowed Andam to catch up, and there was no stopping the Filipino as he took the next two racks to seal his finals berth, while the crowd chanted “Dodong!”
It could have been an all Pinoy final if not for Luat’s bad breaks. He was on top, 3-1, before Yang took the next five racks.
Trailing at 3-5, Luat’s game went awry as his Motolite patch fell and hampered his cuing, forcing him to miss.
The Yang-Andam final was still being played at press time yesterday with the winner pocketing $20,000.
(June 30, 2005 issue)
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