Twelve of the country’s top cue artists, including newly-crowned First Senate President Manny Villar Cup Cebu Leg champion Gandy Valle, left for Doha yesterday to compete in the 2008 Qatar 9-Ball Championship, which starts tomorrow at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation Hall.

Also competing in the $ 150,000 (P6 million), are former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes, Alex Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano, current world No.1 Dennis Orcollo, Francsico “Django” Bustamante, Roberto Gomez, reigning national champion Lee Van Corteza, Warren Kiamco and Ramil Gallego, and rising stars Joven Bustamante and Benjie Guevarra.

Supporting the trip of the Filipinos are the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), Puyat Sports, Bugsy Promotions, Negros Billiards Stable and Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports.

“I hope I could sustain my momentum from my Villar Cup triumph,” said Valle, who defeated Orcollo in the finals that earned him the P400,000 top prize.

Now he is looking to bag the $ 40,000 champion’s purse in this 10-day event, which attracted some 200 players from around the world.

“All of us are confident of our chances, especially that we are coming from a big tournament. That’s why we’re very thankful to Senator Villar for his support to Philippine billiards,” added Valle, who is also the BMPAP secretary-general.

Valle, along with Pagulayan, Alcano, Gomez, Kiamco, Gallego, Guevarra and Joven Bustamante will begin their bid in the Stage 1 of the tournament, which is the two-day qualifying event for the eight remaining slots to the 96-man main draw.

Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, Orcollo and Corteza are already seeded to the tournament proper.

Other notable players vying in the tournament are former world champions Ralf Souquet, Wu Chia-ching, Shane Van Boening, Thorsten Hohmann and Johnny Archer.