FILIPINO-CANADIAN Alex Pagulayan, who won the World 9-ball Championships in 2004 in Taipei but represents Canada since he has been neglected by Philippine pool authorities, is in what WPA press officer Ted Lerner described as “the fantastic final four” in Doha, Qatar.
Lerner reported that after a week of arguably one of the most highly competitive tournaments in World 9-ball history, Pagulayan takes on Austria’s Albin Ouschan, who finished runner-up in Doha two years ago.
In the second semifinal, America’s No. 1 pool superstar Shane Van Boening, who is aiming for another crack at glory, faces off with Taiwan’s Yushuan Cheng, the current holder of the US Open crown.
“Cheng is playing absolutely dominating pool,” said Lerner, who lives in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Ouschan, the current China Open champion and one of the planet’s best players, will clash with Pagulayan, who won this very event in Taiwan in 2004.
After fading away from pool for several years, Pagulayan has recently rekindled his love of competitive 9-ball.
Proof of this came in the US, where Pagulayan won the last two Master of the Table titles at the prestigious Derby City Classic in Indiana.
In the other semifinal, the USA’s Shane Van Boening, a runner-up here last year and a four-time US Open champion, is streaking towards another another crack at glory. But in his way stands Cheng, who currently holds the US Open crown and is playing absolutely dominating pool.
Van Boening lost in an epic final last year to Taiwan’s amazing Ko Pin Yi last year and has, since then, continued to play top level pool in every single tournament he has entered.
The trajectory of his amazing career seems to be moving straight to the winner’s circle of the World 9-ball Championship.
Except for one hiccup in the group stages, the 33-year-old Van Boening has played impeccable pool this week.
Yesterday, he showed that he can handle any situation and any player. In the round of 16, the American found himself down, 4-1, early against Kuwaiti upstart Omar Al Shaheen. Unshakeable, Van Boening simply took his time, stayed in stroke, and flattened Al Shaheen, 11-5.
“I feel confident, comfortable. I know how everybody plays. Alex is a grinder, he likes to take his time. And I just do what he does and I play all the right shots. I’m just here to have fun. It’s not about the money. I’m just going to do the best I can. I don’t feel the pressure from American fans. I’ve won other tournaments, the World Cup of Pool, the World Pool Masters, US Open. This is just another tournament. “
The other semi-final features the classic matchup between the young gun, Albin Ouschan who has been knocking on the door of greatness, against the veteran ex-world champion Pagulayan who is traveling the long road back to redemption.
When Alex Pagulayan won the World 9-ball Championship in 2004, he was what Lerner described as “ the insanely
talented, wild and carefree clown prince of pool. Somewhere along the way the Filipino, who now represents Canada,
lost interest in pool. He dabbled in poker, snooker and just enjoyed his life in various world locales.”
Over the last two years, however, the 38 year old Pagulayan has rekindled his love of pool. Although he’s still quite
irreverent, he’s also clearly matured. He is once again taking the game seriously.
The “Lion” Pagulayan was certainly all business today. He first took down Indonesia’s Muhammad Bewi, 11-7.
Then he squared off against 21 year old Ko Ping Chun, the younger brother of 2015 World 9-ball champion Ko Pin Yi.
The matchup between two of the games supreme talents from two different generations was everything it promised and
more as Ko raced out to a 5-0 lead but Pagulayan kept his focus and tied the match midway through. From there the two
engaged in a brilliant battle of wits that went straight to the cliff. Tied at 10-10, Ko took on a long difficult cut on the
2-ball but missed by a thread. Pagulayan stood up and calmly cleared the colors to claim his first World 9-ball semi-final
in 12 years.
Many moons ago, Pagulayan would have been boastful and brash. But age and experience has brought him a new
perspective, one that could surely see the Filipino through to the champion’s podium once again.