AT 61 years old, Filipino pool icon and Hall of Famer Francisco “Django” Bustamante continues to cement his status as one of the greatest players in the sport.
Bustamante showcased his Filipino brand of billiards skills as he overcame Germany’s Can Salim in a thrilling finale and clinched the title at the 29th Annual Jay Swanson Memorial (“The Swanee”) held at Griff’s Bar & Billiards in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Earlier in the tournament, Salim narrowly defeated Bustamante, 8-7, sending the Filipino legend to the losers’ bracket.
However, Bustamante battled his way back to the finals, where he trailed 4-1 early in the match. Displaying vintage form, he strung together a series of impressive racks to seize the lead and ultimately secure an 11-9 victory, along with the $2,700 top prize.
The double-elimination event, which kicked off on President’s Day, drew 81 competitors from around the globe.
The star-studded field included defending champion John Morra, BCA Hall of Famer Alex Pagulayan (a Filipino-Canadian), reigning Buffalo’s Pro One Pocket champion Roberto Gomez, and rising stars such as Bayou State One Pocket Classic champion Tony Chohan and Bayou State 9-Ball Classic winner Billy Thorpe.
Other international standouts in attendance included Canadian Erik Hjorleifson, Filipino Jeffrey De Luna, Germany’s Can Salim, and Marco Teutscher of the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, seasoned veterans like Josh Roberts, Shane Winters, Jeff Beckley, Ronnie Allen, Frank Nordmann, and Nick De Leon, as well as emerging talents such as Mark Estiola, Adrian Prasad, and Kash Keeton, rounded out a fiercely competitive field.
The women’s division also added star power to the event.
Headlining the ladies were current WPA Women’s World Nine-ball champion Rubilen Amit, reigning European Straight Pool, Nine-Ball, and Ten-Ball champion Pia Filler, alongside talents like Emily Sumrall and Sabrina Peterson.
To secure his spot in the finals, Bustamante defeated Pagulayan with a convincing 7-3 win.
Bustamante, the World 9-ball champion in 2010, is currently competing in the Las Vegas Open, where he opened strong with a 2-0 (4-1, 4-1) victory over American Bobby Garza. However, he faced a setback in his second match, falling to fellow pool legend Ralf Souquet in a tightly contested 4-2, 4-3 battle.
Bustamante has amassed an impressive collection of titles throughout his illustrious career, including victories at the Munich Masters, the German Nine-ball Championship, and the All-Japan Championship.
One of his standout achievements came in 1998 when he captured the year-long Camel Pro Billiards Series point fund championship with a victory in Tulsa.
He concluded the season by winning the Columbus 10-Ball Open, becoming the first player ever to secure three Camel titles in a single season.
