WORLD Pool Championship 2008 runner-up Roberto Gomez and Bangkok 1998 Asian Games gold medalist Gandy Valle got automatic quarterfinals berths as seeded players in the 2nd Sun.Star Superbalita Mindanao Open 9-Ball Challenge.

The said tournament which unfurls on Nov. 28 and 29 at the NCCC Mall B3 (Bowling, Billiards and Bar) Center.

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This was confirmed by Davao Billiards Association, Inc. (DBAI) vice president Alexander Villadores during the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn Thursday.

Villadores said Gomez, who hails from Zamboanga, and Valle of Davao City are two of the finest Mindanao pool players the country is proud to have.

"We are very privileged to have these two elite players who have already been to various international competitions. Both have made the country proud with their countless feats in the sport of billiards," Villadores said in Tagalog.

"We are proud that both of them are Mindanaoans. Their presence in this tournament will be a morale booster for our rising stars in this region," he added.

Villadores said Gomez and Valle, who will don the country's colors to the upcoming Laos Southeast Asian (SeaGames), will be the heavy favorites to win the P40,000 champion's purse of the P76,000-rich cue fest presented by Sun.Star Davao and Superbalita in cooperation with DBAI.

"This tournament will have 32 players from Davao City and Davao Region while the other 30 players will be from other parts of Mindanao. A total of 64 players including Gomez and Valle will compete," he said.

Villadores said he is hoping that the four Davao City cue masters seeing action in the ongoing Japan Open 9-Ball Championship like DBAI president Meneleo Migellano, Valeriano A. Pajuay Jr., Lauro A. Bongay and Ronnie O. Aying can also make it to the Sun.Star Superbalita event.

The tournament, sponsored by SkyCable, Viktoriano's Place, NCCC Mall B3, Grand Men Seng Hotel, Microtel Inn and Suites, Jack's Ridge, 8990 Housing Development Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, Sunpride Foods Corporation, G.Q.W.E.S.T. and the city government of Davao, will also give away cash prizes of P15,000, P10,000 and P5,000 to the next three placers. The quarterfinal losers will each receive P1,500.

Registration for Davao participants is set on Nov. 27 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the NCCC Mall B3 while out-of-town players can sign up on Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Fee is P300 for DBAI members while P600 for non-DBAI members. Players can avail of fifty percent discount on registration fees when they submit five mastheads of current Sun.Star Davao and/or Superbalita.