Bustamante, Lining, Orcullo wind up as Top 3 in world pool rankings

Francisco "Django" Bustamante has kept his hold of the world No.1 spot, while two other Pinoys vaulted their way up in the new rankings of the World Pool-Billiard Association. Antonio Lining and newly-crowned World 8-Ball champion Dennis Orcullo moved up to No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, following their solid showing in the first major event of the WPA in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. It was Orcullo who made the biggest jump. He started the year outside of the top 10, but climbed his way to the top three after his domination of the World 8-Ball event. The former world No.1 player has also booked himself a seat in the main draw of the World Ten Ball Championship to be held in the Philippines for the third straight time. Lining, who was previously ranked No. 3, moved a notch higher. He made it as far as the last 32 of the main draw of the World 8-Ball. The man who spent the past few years campaigning in Japan while also working as a Japanese translator has been a consistent fixture in the world pool championships. He entered the WTBC semis in 2009 as well as the World 9-Ball Championship won by Bustamante last year. He was part of the Pinoy squad that finished runner-up in the World Team Championship in Hanover, Germany last year against Great Britain. Bustamante got booted out in the early stage of the World 8-Ball, but that wasn't enough to pull him down in the standings. Ronnie Alcano and Overseas Filipino Worker Oliver Medenilla are the other two Pinoys in the top 10. The double world champion Alcano reached the last 16 of the World 8-Ball Championship, while Medenilla went a game short of a quarterfinal berth. - Rey Joble, KY, GMA News