Ronato Alcano wins world pool championship

Unseeded Ronato "Calamba" Alcano of the Philippines defeated seventh-seed Ralf Souquet in convincing fashion to win the 2006 World Pool Championship (WPC) in Manila.

Alcano led the match most of the way surprising many as Souqet was a big favorite after beating a number of the top seeds in the tournament.

The Laguna native whose previous win in the WPC was the round of 64 in 2005, pocketed the $100,000 top purse, while Souquet earned $40,000.


Ronato Alcano of the Philippines lifts his trophy before a jubilant hometown crowd after winning against Germany's Ralf Souquet during the World Pool Championship final in Manila, Philippines, on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2006. Alcano beat Souquet 17-10. AP Photo/Aaron Favila via Yahoo News.

Liu, Luat move on to world pool quaterfinals

Rodolfo Luat of the Philippines and Taiwan's Liu Cheng-chuan secured berths in the world pool championship quaterfinals in Manila on Friday.

Lie defeated Cananda's Tyler Edey, and Luat barely held off Spain's David Alcaide known as "El Matador."


The world's best pool players hold the prize trophy before the start of a news conference for the World Pool Championships at a hotel in Manila November 3, 2006. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco via Yahoo News.

Filipino players have been under pressure to perform before their hometown crowds. The two best-known locals Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante have fallen out of the tourney.

Fourteen other players are competing for the remaining six quarterfinal slots leading to a $100,000 check for the tournament winner.

Tiger Woods to take rest

Tiger Woods opted out of next week's Tour Championship in Atalanta ending his PGA Tour for 2006.

Woods said he needed more rest after a tight schedule of playing seven out of the last nine weeks.

'I'm confident that this extended break will help me to recharge my batteries for the 2007 season,' he said.

Woods is next scheduled to compete at the HSBC Champions Tournament in China in two weeks' time.


Tiger Woods in an interview during the launch of the EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 video game in Los Angeles, October 10, 2006. Chris Pizzello/Reuters photo via Yahoo News.