Brunei's Ahmad Taufiq Murni
will be looking to impress
at the upcoming 5th Golden
Break 9-Ball Invitational
Championship 2013 in Kuala
Lumpur. Picture: BT file
There is no shortage of star power at the 5th Golden Break 9-Ball Invitational Championship 2013.
Powerhouses the Philippines and Chinese-Taipei headline the August 17-24 tournament in Kuala Lumpur.
Dennis Orcollo, who is ranked second in both the World Pool-Billiards Association (WPA) and Asia Pocket Billiard Union (APBU), will spearhead the Philippines campaign.
World No 74, Ko Ping Chung, is back to defend his title and Chang Jun Lin, who is first on the APBU rankings and eighth in the world, will lead the way for Chinese-Taipei.
He will also be joined by compatriots World No 9 Ko Pin-Yi and No 10 Fu Che Wei.
Stage 1 (Qualifiers) will begin tomorrow and 46 will progress to join 50 other players that have already been selected for Stage 2 (Group Stage), which will begin on Monday.
The Bruneian quartet of Ahmad Taufiq Murni, Pg Anak Hj Abdul Awadi ZH Pg Anak Hj Latifuddin, Hj Md Alirani Hj Besar and Mohd Qusyairi Zainuddin are playing under the Brunei Cue Sports Association (BCSA) banner and will all begin their campaign in the second stage.
Taufiq was the best performer in the annual tournament last year after losing 10-7 to Ronnie Alcano in the last-16.
The 24-year-old is unfazed by the lineup but instead is concentrating on his own game.
"It is more or less the same as last year. It is very tough as usual but I will stay focused on my own game," said Taufiq in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday.
"I'm ready for the tournament but I'll need to make little adjustments on the tables at the venue as usual. Hopefully my game will be alright," he added.
Pg Anak Hj Abdul Awadi knows the challenges ahead but is looking forward to the challenge.
"From what I know there are a lot of Taiwanese top players joining the tournament. I will do my best and play my game whoever I get drawn with," said Pg Anak Hj Abdul Awadi.
"Every game is a 50-50 chance. It just depends on who makes the least mistakes and who has the luck in the game," he said.
"Everyone can pot the balls. I will bring what I learned from coach (skill preparation) and also from Mr Zul of the Psychology department (mental preparation) to the competition," he continued.
Four other Bruneians Shaiful Bahani Hj Abd Rahman, Muhammad Alias Hj Rashid, Kamarul Ariffin Hj Kamis and Bakhtyar Hj Zaini will leave today for the qualifiers.
Master Alim Pool Brunei sponsored the jerseys to all eight local players.
The competition offers a cash prize of US$8,000 to the winner while the runner-up will take home US$4,000.
Semi-finalists will be awarded US$2,000 while quarter-finalists will get US$1,000.
The last-16 will take home US$500 while the last-32 will get US$200.
Trophies and medals will also be awarded to the respective winners.
