ShareThisMANILA — Philippine billiards master Santos “The Saint” Sambajon nipped Mexican warrior Oscar Dominguez, 8-7, to rule the 2nd Annual Chet Itow Memorial Tournament at the California Billiard Club in Mountain View, California.
Sambajon’s friend, International Master Marlon Bernardino, reported that Dominguez was the first to reach the hill at 7-3 but the Filipino champ remained calm in taking the last five racks to escape with a narrow 8-7 triumph and pocket the champion’s prize of US$ 2,000 during the two-day tourney last January 15-16.
Santos Sambajon
Mexican challenger Dominguez went home with US$ 1,350.
Sambajon, who hails from Macalelon, Quezon province, is currently based in Chicago and joins competitions sponsored by Fil-Am organizations.
Cornering third spot was Gerardo Jamito with US$ 850, followed by fourth placer Amar Kang in fifth with US$ 550.
Another Filipino entry Deomark Alpajora settled for sixth and seventh place to American Frank Nordmann Jr., with US$ 400 each.
Watching at the sidelines was former California Billiard Club champion Ramon “Maestro Monching,” Mistica, a contemporary of legendary Jose “Amang” Parica whom he beat in the mid-80s.
Mistica of Murphy, Quezon City has been living in the US for decades when his family migrated for greener pasture in the early 80s.