By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Former Guinness world champion Jundel Mazon took home the grand prize of P350,000 after winning the “1st Mayor Albee Benitez MassKara Billiards Tournament” here on Oct. 6.
Mazon, 46, a native of Cavite, defeated Bacolod’s pride, Johann Chua, on the final day of the tournament.
At least 128 players, including the legends and world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante, among others, participated in the tournament which ran from Oct. 2 to 6, as part of the 43rd MassKara Festival celebration this year.
The two dominated the early matches, but Reyes’s journey ended on the fourth day of the tournament when he was crushed by newbie, 15-year-old AJ Manas from Antipolo.
Manas also defeated national team player, Warren Kiamco in the best of 32 to advance to the quarterfinals.
However, Manas’s journey was halted by Mazon, with a score of 8-7.
Meanwhile, Bustamante beat Jerico Banares to face off with Chua, who eliminated 17-year-old Jolo Aspuria in the semi-finals.
Chua played against his national team coach, and finished off the race against Bustamante, with a final score of 9-2.
On the other hand, Mazon and Rodrigo Geronimo played against each other after defeating Bonnie Penticase and Dean Mark Castronuevo, respectively.
However, Mazon won the race and engaged in a face-off with Chua in the finals.
Chua lost to Mazon, with the final score of 9-5. Chua received P100,000.
Third and fourth placers also got P50,000 each, while the fifth to the eighth place got P15,000 each. (Photos courtesy of Balik Yuhum Foundation Inc.)
