The Philippines gets its Matchroom Major, with the Philippines Open set for October 21 to 26 at Gateway Mall in Quezon City.
World champion Carlo Biado and reigning Hanoi Open titlist Johann Chua will carry the flag high and proud as the World Nineball Tour, in partnership with Puyat Sports, brings the Philippines Open Pool Championship from Oct. 21 to 26 at Gateway Mall, Quezon City.
The top Filipino cue artists will take their rightful place in the spotlight as the Philippines hosts a brand new Matchroom Major, with Manila joining an elite list of global host cities such as London, Orlando, and Hanoi.
Cignal, as the official broadcaster, will show the event live on One Sports, One Sports+, and on the Pilipinas Live app together with the usual telecast on WNT TV.
“Having a major World Nineball Tour event in Manila is a dream come true. Playing in front of the home crowd always gives me extra motivation, and with the world’s best coming here, I know the competition will be fierce. This is a huge moment for Philippine pool, and I can’t wait to be part of it,” said Biado.
Also set to see action are former World Cup of Pool winner James Aranas, and rising stars Bernie Regalario and Anton Raga.
Aside from the top Filipino players, also expected to be part of the field include former world champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain, seven-time Mosconi Cup winner Jayson Shaw of United Kingdom, David Alcaide of Spain, Duong Quoc Hoang of Vietnam, and Mickey Krause of Denmark, to name a few.
The 128-player field will see the highest ranked 64 WNT Pros be seeded as they face the unseeded players which will occupy the remaining 64 spots in this single-elimination tournament.
Up for grabs is the USD30,000 cash prize for the champion from the prize fund of USD125,000.
“Bringing the Philippines Open Pool Championship to Manila is a milestone moment for our country and for the sport,” said Puyat Sports founder and owner Aristeo “Putch” Puyat.
“The Philippines has produced some of the greatest cue artists in history, and now we have the stage to showcase them against the world’s best in front of the most passionate fans anywhere. Together with the World Nineball Tour, we are proud to strengthen our nation’s legacy as the true heart of pool.”
The event will be coming up after the second staging of the Reyes Cup from Oct. 16 to 19, cementing Manila’s status as the world’s pool capital while showcasing the very best players on the planet in a span of two weeks of unmissable action.