‘Bata’ Reyes, ‘Django’ Bustamante top 2010 pool money list

TOP FILIPINO cue artists Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante lead the latest 2010 Player Money List which also includes three other Pinoy pool wizards in the top 10.

According to an AZbilliards.com report yesterday, the 55-year-old pride of Angeles City Reyes, the 2010 Player of the Decade, had total earnings of $83,512 and remained on top.

Reyes, dubbed as "The Magician" in the world of pool won the 2010 Spanish Open in Vigo, Spain, last June 21 to 23 to receive the top prize of $7,432. He bested Niels "The Terminator" Feijen of the Netherlands in the finals. Reyes, the prize fighter of sportsman/ businessman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat of Puyat Sports also won the Predator International 10-ball championships last weekend. He beat countryman Roberto "Pinoy Superman" Gomez to win the championship trophy plus the $10,000 top prize.

The 47-year-old Tarlac City native Bustamante, also from Puyat Sports, was at no. 2 spot with $71,838. His biggest purse of $36,000 came from winning the 2010 World Pool Championships in Doha, Qatar, last July 2 to 5. He beat "The Little Monster" Kuo Po-cheng of Chinese-Taipei for the coveted crown and joined the elite Filipino world 9-ball champions that include Reyes (1999, Cardiff, Wales), Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan (2004, Kaohsiung, Chinese-Taipei) and Ronato "Volcano" Alcano (Pasay City, Philippines).

Third in the money list is Briton Karl Boyes with $59,488, followed by American Shane Van Boening (4th) with $58,191, and two-time national open champion Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza (5th) with $50,722. Corteza, top player of Jonathan Sy’s Negros Billiards Stable (NBS), won back-to-back in the US Pool circuit -- Hard Times Mezz Cue 10-ball in Los Angeles, California, and the 1st US Open 10-ball in Las Vegas, Nevada -- and dominated the Predator Sweet 16 en route to $13,097. He beat Rodney "The Rocket" Morris for the crown.

At 6th and 7th spots are Filipino Dennis "Robocop" Orcullo and Briton Darren Appleton, respectively.

The former fisherman from Bislig, Surigao del Sur Orcullo, the 2010 World Pool Masters Champion has $49,575, while Appleton, the 2008 World Ten-Ball Champion, has $45,106 worth of winnings.

Orcullo teamed up with Gomez and settled for second place to eventual team winners Fu Jian-bo and Li He-wen of China in the recent World Cup of Pool.

Rounding up the top 10 are Morris ($43,137), Niels "The Terminator" Feijen of the Netherlands ($41,345), and another Filipino ace Jundel "Jano" Mazon ($40,000), the 2010 Guinness World Series of Pool champion last Aug. 1 in Mall Taman Anggrek in Jakarta, Indonesia. He beat local bet Irsal Nasution in the finals.

Marlon Bernardino, Business World