Billiards: RP’s Go upends Aussie Hulley for fine game debut
June 2, 2009 1:28 pm
MANILA, June 2 — The 2009 JBETpoker.net Women's World 10-Ball Championship's youngest cue artist at 11-years old upended Australia's Lyndall Hulley, 5-3 for a bright start Tuesday at the Sky Dome, SM City North EDSA in Quezon City.
The fair-complexioned Gillian Go made it to the 48-woman main draw of this prestigious event via the qualifiers, got the better end of the error-filled match to secure the win that boosted her modest goal of making it to the knockout stage of this tournament presented by Dragon Promotions in cooperation with JBETpoker.net
The win put Go in an early lead in Group 5, along with Taiwanese Liu Shin-mei, who defeated Tina Meraglio of the United States, 5-0.
“I was kinda nervous at the start. Maybe I got overly excited,” said Go, an incoming Grade 6 student of Jubilee Christian Academy in Quezon, who was introduced to the game by his father Carlos at the age of 5.
“I’m very happy that I won and it gives me confidence. My goal now is to make it to the next round,” she added.
National team mainstay Mary Ann Basas and Mica Claveria, both came off the qualifying tournament, likewise won their opening matches.
Basas blasted Akimi Kajitani of Japan, 5-1, to share the early lead in Group 4 with Julie Kelly of Ireland and Sarah Rousey of the USA. Kelly beat Chou Chieh-yu of Chinese-Taipei, 5-2, while Rousey won over Amalia Matas of Spain, 5-2.
Claveria, on the other hand, held off Eun Ji Park of Korea, 5-3, to pace Group 8 along with Kelly Fisher, who defeated Rubilen Amit, 5-1.
Amit, considered as the Philippines’ brightest hope in this event, quickly rebounded by trouncing Charlene Chai of Singapore, 5-1.
Three other Filipinas dropped their opening matches.
Zara del Rosario, a 30-year-old Chicago-based Fil-Am, lost her first match against Taiwanese Lin Yuan-chun, 5-0, in Group 2, while Nina Pangilinan, a wildcard entry, was blanked by Grace Nakamura-Bobcock of Canada, 5-0, in Group 1.
Iris Ranola, the 2008 WPBA Rookie of the Year and last year’s US Open runner-up, bowed to Tamara Rademaker of the Netherlands, 5-2, in their Group 7 encounter.
Meanwhile, Fil-Am Shanelle Loirane won the crowd with her stunning looks but lost to Jeanette “the Black Widow” Lee, proving no match to the former world's top lady cue artist at 5-0.
The participants were divided into eight groups of six players each, who will compete in a single round-robin.
The top four players in each group will advance to the knockout phase of this historic tournament also supported by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines, ABS-CBN, SM Mall North Edsa, Magic 89.9, Predator Cues, Takini Billiard Cloth, Aramith, Puyat Sports, The Philippine Star, and Bugsy Promotions and recognized by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.
In other matches, former world no. 1 Allison Fisher of England subdued Kristi Carter of the USA, 5-2 and then made it two in a row by waylaying Angeline Ticaolu of Indonesia; Verokika Hubrtova edged Apsra Punhoo of South Africa, 5-4; Ticoalu squeaked past Kim Jones of the USA, 5-4; Tan Hsiang-ling of Chinese-Taipei slipped past Chichro Kawahara of Japan, 5-4, Estelle Bijnen of the Netherlands trounced Yukiko Oi of Japan, 5-1, and Kawahara, 5-2; and Miyuki Fuke of Japan whipped compatriot Akio Ohtani, 5-2.
Latetia Dos Santos pulled the rug from under Korean sensation Yu Ram Cha, 5-1; former world champion Ga Young-Kim of Korea routed Levina of Russia, 5-0; Karen Corr of Ireland downed Melissa Little of the USA, 5-1; and Hyun Ji-won of Korea beat compatriot Yu Mi Lim, 5-1. (PNA) vcs/LOR
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