Alejandro (Alex) Salvador Pagulayan, (born June 25, 1978) is a Filipino-Canadian professional pocket billiards (pool) player. His nicknames are "The Lion" and "The Killer Pixie". He was born in Cabagan, Isabela, Philippines and was raised in Toronto, Canada. In 2004, Pagulayan returned to the Philippines.[1]
He is known for his relaxed demeanor during competition, and is a crowd favorite, well-liked because of his comedic interaction with the audience.
He is known for his relaxed demeanor during competition, and is a crowd favorite, well-liked because of his comedic interaction with the audience.
Pagulayan also has expertise in the pocket billiards game of snooker, and his capabilities enabled his Philippines team to win the Snooker Gold Medal at the 2005 SEA Games (held in Manila, Philippines) with teammates Joven Alba and Leonardo Andam. After the team's 3–2 
win against Thailand at the Makati Coliseum, Pagulayan emerged as a triple Gold Medalist.[4]
Pagulayan (center) and Francisco Bustamante (left) at the 2004 US Open Nine-ball Championship signing autographs
Very skilled players in nine-ball have the tendency to sometimes pocket four or even five balls on the break. Pagulayan in the first rack of the semi-finals in the 2004 BCA Open, sank six balls on the break — two-thirds of the entire rack. (But note that Rodolfo Luat also performed a similar feat in a Japanese tournament.) Pagulayan's break did not include the 9 ball, and despite the six ball advantage, he lost that game (to fellow countryman Santos Sambajon).[5]
In 2002, Pagulayan made it to finals of the US Open Nine-ball Championship, but was defeated by Ralf Souquet, 11–13. Three years later, he got another shot for the US Open Nine-ball Championship title and won it, defeating Jose Parica in the finals, 11–6.[6]
In 2003, Pagulayan went on the road in the United States with Canadian pool player Ronnie Wiseman to compete in pocket billiard tournaments. They both scored a double victory at the Carolinas Open at Fast Eddie's in Goldsboro, North Carolina, with Wiseman winning the one-pocket tournament and Pagulayan winning the nine-ball event.[7] Later in 2003, Pagulayan reached the finals of the World Nine-ball Championship. Unfortunately, he was bested by Thorsten Hohmann 10-17.[8]
In 2004 in Taipei, Taiwan, Pagulayan captured the prestigious World Pool Championship title, representing Canada. The score was a 17–13 victory over Pei-wei Chang in the finals.[9]
In 2006, Pagulayan won the first national championship of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of Philippines (BSCP), besting John Michael Lopez in the finals and earning P1,000,000 (US$20,639).[10]
John Michael Lopez and Pagulayan at the 2003 Carolinas Open in Goldsboro, North Carolina
Not many pool players in the Philippines excel at or even play straight pool. For a number of years, Efren Reyes was the only Filipino player known to have made runs of 100 or more. However, at an demonstration match at the 2006 Derby City Classic in Kentucky, Pagulayan made a high run of 130, the second-highest of the event[11]. This makes him the second Filipino player known to have run 100 balls in straight pool in controlled competition.
In 2007, won the World Summit of Pool nine-ball championship held at the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. American Shane Van Boening defeated Pagulayan earlier in the event, 11–4, but the veteran Pagulayan came back from the losing bracket of the double-elimination tournament chart by beating fellow countrymen Francisco Bustamante and J.Michael Lopez, only to face Van Boening in the final round. The semi-finals as well as the final matches were recorded by ESPN for future broadcast, and the final match between Pagulayan and Van Boening was a race to 7. Pagulayan shot out with a strong lead, 4–1, but Van Boening managed to tie the score at 5–5. However, after Pagulayan three-fouled him, resulting in a loss of game for Van Boening, Pagulayan advanced forward and captured the title in the final game, ending the match at 7–5.[12][13]
On May 11, 2008, Pagulayan defeated Mika Immonen in the Matchroom Sports production of the World Pool Masters in a thrilling finals match held at the Rivera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the race to 8, Immonen maintained a strong lead against Pagulayan with a score of 6 to 3, but due to an illegal break when he failed to send the required number of balls past the headstring, Pagulayan took advantage of this error by winning the next three games in a row, with the eventual title going to Pagulayan. "I feel like I did when I won the World Championship," said Pagulayan flexing his biceps and performing a Running Man Dance for the cameras directly after sinking the 9 ball for the match win. "I think I’ve finished in every place here except first." Pagulayan was a finalist in the 2006 World Pool Masters, but lost to German Ralf Souquet.[14]
"The Lion" Pagulayan crushed Joven Bustamante on June 15, 2008 to win the P 300,000-Magnificent 7 Winner-Take-All 9-Ball Invitational second qualifier in Mandaue City, Cebu for the December grand finals. He is set for the June, 2nd leg of the Sen. Manuel Villar Cup in Cebu City.[15]
[edit] Lawsuit
Pagulayan filed a libel and P 6 million damages complaint with Pasig Regional Trial Court's Second Assistant City Prosecutor Maria Anunciacion Hipol, on July 14, 2008, versus billiards officers Yen Makabenta and Ernesto Fajardo. The officials of the Billiards and Snookers Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) accused him of "sharking" (distracting one's opponent to win, at the Singapore leg Guinness 9-Ball Tour), in addition to "disgraceful loser" and a "liar."[16]
win against Thailand at the Makati Coliseum, Pagulayan emerged as a triple Gold Medalist.[4]Pagulayan (center) and Francisco Bustamante (left) at the 2004 US Open Nine-ball Championship signing autographs
Very skilled players in nine-ball have the tendency to sometimes pocket four or even five balls on the break. Pagulayan in the first rack of the semi-finals in the 2004 BCA Open, sank six balls on the break — two-thirds of the entire rack. (But note that Rodolfo Luat also performed a similar feat in a Japanese tournament.) Pagulayan's break did not include the 9 ball, and despite the six ball advantage, he lost that game (to fellow countryman Santos Sambajon).[5]
In 2002, Pagulayan made it to finals of the US Open Nine-ball Championship, but was defeated by Ralf Souquet, 11–13. Three years later, he got another shot for the US Open Nine-ball Championship title and won it, defeating Jose Parica in the finals, 11–6.[6]
In 2003, Pagulayan went on the road in the United States with Canadian pool player Ronnie Wiseman to compete in pocket billiard tournaments. They both scored a double victory at the Carolinas Open at Fast Eddie's in Goldsboro, North Carolina, with Wiseman winning the one-pocket tournament and Pagulayan winning the nine-ball event.[7] Later in 2003, Pagulayan reached the finals of the World Nine-ball Championship. Unfortunately, he was bested by Thorsten Hohmann 10-17.[8]
In 2004 in Taipei, Taiwan, Pagulayan captured the prestigious World Pool Championship title, representing Canada. The score was a 17–13 victory over Pei-wei Chang in the finals.[9]
In 2006, Pagulayan won the first national championship of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of Philippines (BSCP), besting John Michael Lopez in the finals and earning P1,000,000 (US$20,639).[10]
John Michael Lopez and Pagulayan at the 2003 Carolinas Open in Goldsboro, North Carolina
Not many pool players in the Philippines excel at or even play straight pool. For a number of years, Efren Reyes was the only Filipino player known to have made runs of 100 or more. However, at an demonstration match at the 2006 Derby City Classic in Kentucky, Pagulayan made a high run of 130, the second-highest of the event[11]. This makes him the second Filipino player known to have run 100 balls in straight pool in controlled competition.
In 2007, won the World Summit of Pool nine-ball championship held at the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. American Shane Van Boening defeated Pagulayan earlier in the event, 11–4, but the veteran Pagulayan came back from the losing bracket of the double-elimination tournament chart by beating fellow countrymen Francisco Bustamante and J.Michael Lopez, only to face Van Boening in the final round. The semi-finals as well as the final matches were recorded by ESPN for future broadcast, and the final match between Pagulayan and Van Boening was a race to 7. Pagulayan shot out with a strong lead, 4–1, but Van Boening managed to tie the score at 5–5. However, after Pagulayan three-fouled him, resulting in a loss of game for Van Boening, Pagulayan advanced forward and captured the title in the final game, ending the match at 7–5.[12][13]
On May 11, 2008, Pagulayan defeated Mika Immonen in the Matchroom Sports production of the World Pool Masters in a thrilling finals match held at the Rivera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the race to 8, Immonen maintained a strong lead against Pagulayan with a score of 6 to 3, but due to an illegal break when he failed to send the required number of balls past the headstring, Pagulayan took advantage of this error by winning the next three games in a row, with the eventual title going to Pagulayan. "I feel like I did when I won the World Championship," said Pagulayan flexing his biceps and performing a Running Man Dance for the cameras directly after sinking the 9 ball for the match win. "I think I’ve finished in every place here except first." Pagulayan was a finalist in the 2006 World Pool Masters, but lost to German Ralf Souquet.[14]
"The Lion" Pagulayan crushed Joven Bustamante on June 15, 2008 to win the P 300,000-Magnificent 7 Winner-Take-All 9-Ball Invitational second qualifier in Mandaue City, Cebu for the December grand finals. He is set for the June, 2nd leg of the Sen. Manuel Villar Cup in Cebu City.[15]
[edit] Lawsuit
Pagulayan filed a libel and P 6 million damages complaint with Pasig Regional Trial Court's Second Assistant City Prosecutor Maria Anunciacion Hipol, on July 14, 2008, versus billiards officers Yen Makabenta and Ernesto Fajardo. The officials of the Billiards and Snookers Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) accused him of "sharking" (distracting one's opponent to win, at the Singapore leg Guinness 9-Ball Tour), in addition to "disgraceful loser" and a "liar."[16]
John Mciahel Lopez went to L.A. for 9ball Classic 2007
November 18 , 2007. I went to South Coopers Arlington Tx(Rusty's Billiard) to Play 9 Ball tournament. Out of 36 Players, I lost in best 4. But ..... it was nice game for this week. The winner of the tournament is cool guy " BJ " (2nd from the left) He played nice and good on that day. 
Me.... i played good too but Im not luck on this time. Every time i break, the cue ball always goes straight to the pocket. My braek was so uncontrol. Maybe I need to practice my break shot
Me.... i played good too but Im not luck on this time. Every time i break, the cue ball always goes straight to the pocket. My braek was so uncontrol. Maybe I need to practice my break shot
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