Robocop earns a leg

2-time Sun.Star Superbalita champion Dennis “Robocop” Orcullo overcame a bout of dizziness and costly errors to rule the Guangzhou leg of the Guinness 9-Ball Tour in China yesterday.

Orcullo, the 2003 and 2006 winner of the Superbalita tournament, has now made it two-for-two for Filipinos after defeating Wang Hung Hsiaing of Chinese Taipei, 11-9, in the final.

Alex Pagulayan, who lost in the semifinal in the event, was the first non-Chinese Taipei player to win a leg when he ruled the Singapore stop last month.

The victory also earned Orcullo the top prize of $15,000 and more importantly assured him a spot in the Grand Final in Jakarta, Indonesia next month.

Only the top 10 players in the Tour’s Order of Merit list will qualify for the lucrative Grand Final and a qualifying spot in the WPA World Pool Championship. Orcollo was clinging on to 10th place prior the Guangzhou leg

On the hill at 10-7, the Orcullo blew a chance to close out the match as he failed to pocket the three on a seemingly easy attempt, allowing Wang to win the rack.

The Filipino ace then committed another foul in the 19th rack and his Taiwanese foe converted a 1–9 combination to narrow the gap to 10–9.

Wang nevertheless failed to knot the match in the very next rack as he bungled an attempt on the two, leaving Orcollo to clean the rack and triumph for the first time in the six-city tour.

Dizzy

“I was actually feeling dizzy when I was up 7–5 so I had to ask Japanese journalist Takayama Takao if he could buy me something to eat during the break. Thankfully, he bought me a chocolate bar and it gave me some energy,” said Orcollo.

“Wang was really a tough opponent, but I was confident and ready throughout this tournament,” said Orcollo, who added he is dedicating this victory to his son Ralph Dency who will be turning 6 on Oct. 2.

Orcollo earlier demolished Yang Ching Shun of Chinese Taipei, 9–1, in the semifinals.

Wang made the championship match by nipping Singapore leg winner Alex Pagulayan, 9– 8. Wang settled for $6,000 while Pagulayan earned $3,500 for reaching the final four.

The Philippines has now won the last two legs of the only ranking Tour in Asia. Chang Jung Lin of Chinese Taipei claimed the first three legs in Taiwan, Penang and Genting Highlands.