PSA honors billiards hero Orcollo

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Perhaps the only Filipino cue master to make a powerful impression in billiards last year, Dennis Orcollo sat atop the world rankings for at least six months.

The 30-year-old ace from Bislig town in Surigao del Sur province piled up four international victories and a spate of other strong finishes to earn a reputation as one of the game’s most feared campaigners.

For his achievements in his breakout season, the man long considered as the country’s money-game king will be honored with a major award on Feb. 20 by the Philippine Sportswriters Association during the San Miguel Corp.-PSA Annual Awards Night at the Alegria Lounge of the Manila Pavilion Hotel.

Orcollo started 2008 by topping the San Miguel Beer-Quezon City 9-Ball Championship. A week later, he bested more than 200 international cue artists in the Japan 9-Ball Open in Tokyo, beating local hero Ryoji Aoki in the finals, 9-2.

Orcollo also outduelled Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, 13-5, to rule the Qatar International

Open 9-Ball Championship in Doha. He capped the season with a victory in the Guinness 9-Ball Tour in Guangzhou in September and a semifinal finish in the Jakarta Grand Finals won by Taiwan’s Yang Ching-shun.

Orcollo joins fellow major awardees Kelly Williams (pro caging), Willy Wang (wushu), Wesley So (chess), Nonito Donaire (pro boxing), Dottie Ardina, Angelo Que, Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin (golf) and Jonathan Hernandez, Ibarra and Go Army (horseracing) in the program sponsored by the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp.

World Boxing Council lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao heads the honor roll as Athlete of the Year, the fifth time in seven years that he will be honored with the PSA’s highest award. The ring superstar will also be enshrined into the PSA Hall of Fame.

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