MEDELLIN/COLOMBIA - Colombian-Spanish top billiard player Robinson Morales has once again shone in his homeland, where he successfully defended his title in the prestigious ‘Torneo Internacional Feria de las Flores’. That event has returned to the national and international calendar after eight years and is known as the tournament with the best prize money in South America. The Master Club, venue of the competition in Medellin, witnessed an intense week of billiards, where 360 players from different nationalities came together to compete for the coveted US$ 10,000 prize for the winner.
Mauricio Aguilar, the tournament organizer, expressed his gratitude during the closing ceremony, thanking the Colombian Billiards Federation and the Pan American Billiards Confederation for their support and backing for the realization of this event.
‘Robin Hood’ Morales, who has been playing again in the South Korean PBA tour since this year, showed his quality and high level by beating the talented Arley Montoya in the final 50-31 in 33 innings. Morales thus took the $ 10,000 top prize. The road to the finals was not easy for Morales; in the semi-finals he beat Henry Diaz by an overwhelming 40-4 in just 14 innings, while in the quarter-finals he beat Victor Olarte 40-22 in 30 innings and in the round of 16 Humberto Castaño 40-31 in 37.
In the finals, the playing distance was increased to 40 points. Among others, Henry Diaz shone against Julian Vasquez 40-39 in 35 innings. Vasquez was the player who stood out with the best run of the tournament: 15 points with which he eliminated Daniel Morales.
Julian Morales also went on to win against Norberto Diaz 40-27 in 32 innings, while Mauricio Gutierrez eliminated World Cup star Jose Juan Garcia 40-36 in 33 innings.
In the first rounds, 900 games were played, with 60 groups of six players, with three per group qualifying. The second round was a shuffling round to reach the number of 128.
The first notable score in the round of 128 was the elimination of Alexander Salazar by William Villanueva by 30-0. In the round of 64, Turkey's Tolgahan Kiraz lost 30-25 to Antonio Tabares, and the surprises did not stop in that round, as David Zapata was also eliminated, by Edwin Perez with 30-29.
In the quarter finals, the most intense battle was between Arley Montoya and Dani Moreno with 40-36 in 36. Robinson Morales was unstoppable from then on, as, among others, in the semi-final against Henry Diaz, the eventual winner led 20-0 at the break before making it 40-4 in 14 innings.
The standings at the top:
- Robinson Morales 1,644 - $10,000 USD
- Arley Montoya 1,279 - 5,000
- Alexander Muñoz 1,415 - $1,720
- Henry Díaz 1,307 - $1,720
- Daniel Moreno 1,036 - $738
- Mauricio Gutiérrez 1,140 - $ 738
- Julián Morales 1,185 - $ 738
- Victor Olarte 1,189 - $ 738