Pagulayan focused on 2 Ps: perseverance and patience

Alex Pagulayan surely knows how to get on top, he’s been a world champion. And he knows that it takes more than luck to get there.

“Sipag at tiyaga,” quipped the jovial cue artist. “That’s the key.”

“I’ve never won a big tournament on my first try before I won the 2004 World Pool Championship I was the runner-up in 2003, before I won the 2005 US Open I was the runner-up in 2004,” he added.

“It’s never easy to get on top, but it’s not impossible to do if you have those traits perseverance and patience.”

Pagulayan hopes that these qualities would carry him to more victories and he hopes to start 2009 on a high note as he vies in the Sen. Manny Villar Cup Panagbenga leg from February 20 to 22 at the SM City Mall in Baguio City.

The 30-year-old pride of Cabagan, Isabela, competed in three of the five legs last year of this prestigious island-hopping series, presented by Sen. Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports. He failed to win a title with his semifinals finish in the Cebu leg as his best showing.

“I’m preparing hard, as I want to win the Villar Cup and dedicate it to Senator Villar, whom we Filipino billiards players are very thankful to for supporting our sport. Wala kaming maisusukli sa kanya but to play our best every time.”

To win the Villar Cup, one has to play his best against the field studded with a mix of world-class veterans and a crop of promising upstarts.

Besides Pagulayan, other marquee players competing in the tournament, sponsored by Camella Communities, are Efren “Bata” Reyes, Ronnie Alcano, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Dennis Orcollo, Lee Van Corteza, Antonio Lining, and last year’s leg winners Warren Kiamco (Alabang), Gandy Valle (Cebu), Ramil Gallego (Bulacan), Roberto Gomez (Davao) and Rodolfo Luat (Bacolod).

Also making it to the 32-man main draw are 10 players from the BMPAP rankings in Carlo Biado, Russian Petiza, William Millares, Benjie Guevarra, Michael Feliciano, Elmer Haya, Egie Geronimo, Ricky Zerna, Godofredo Ducanes and Rene Mar David, as well as 2008 Search for the New Billiards Idol grand winner Mike Takayama.

The BMPAP also awarded the two wild card slots to top Filipina player Rubilen Amit and Canadian Gerry Watson.

The remaining six slots will be filled through as qualifying tournament slated on February 17 and 18 at the Bowling Inn in Taft Avenue , Manila .