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Four Player Changes
MATCHROOM Sport can announce that four players have withdrawn from the 2006 Philippines World Pool Championship, which spells good news for the pre-tournament qualifying event.
Americans Shawn Putnam and Charles Bryant have pulled out for various reasons and so has one of the Indian representatives and the
Hong Kong
pick.
Manan Chandra (India)
has withdrawn from Group 17. This spot will now become Qualifier 11.
Charles Bryant (USA)
has withdrawn from Group 10. This spot will now become Qualifier 12.
Kong Man-ho (Hong Kong)
has been withdrawn from Group 7. This spot will go to Tony Fransson (Sweden)
the current EPBF European Seniors 9 Ball Champion.
Finally, Shawn Putnam (USA)
has withdrawn from Group 23 due to ill-health. His spot will go to Santos Sambajon (Philippines).
Last year Sambajon (pictured right) qualified for the World Pool Championship by winning the 2004 World Summit of Pool on the UPA Tour in the
USA. He also garnered a runners-up spot at the BCA Open, one of the two majors in the
USA, which would also have been good enough to gain a spot.
The diminutive Filipino though, was forced to withdraw from the tournament as he was unable to travel from the
USA
due to his passport being lodged with US Immigration authorities while applying for a green card.
Sambajon, who is making his World Pool Championship debut at the age 52, said: “It’s a big thrill to be able to play in the World Championship for the first time in my own country. I hope I can do the people proud.”
With just three days to go before the qualifiers start at the
Star
Billiards
Center,
Quezon City, any further player withdrawals will see the spots revert to the qualifying event wait list.
Date posted: October 25, 2006
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