16th January – World Pool Masters
Draw and schedule announced
WITH THE 2017 World Pool Masters set to get underway in Gibraltar on Friday 17th February, the draw as well as the schedule of play has been announced. With 16 of the best players from around the world competing in the 24th running of the Masters, there are some exciting match-ups in prospect.
Defending champion Shane Van Boening (USA) gets his campaign underway against emerging Spanish star Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, whilst current World No.1 Chang Jung Lin of Taiwan faces a tough test in England’s Mark Gray.
Elsewhere, 2004 World Pool Champion Alex Pagulayan of Canada will be awaiting the winner of a qualification event in Gibraltar for local players, while current World 9 Ball Champion, Albin Ouschan (Austria) faces off against Filipino legend Francisco Bustamante, a two-time Masters champion back in 1998 and 2001.
There are a total of five sessions of play and all tickets are available from https://www.buytickets.gi/events/world-pool-masters-2017-87
Tickets are priced at £15 for the Friday evening and both afternoon sessions and £20 for Saturday and Sunday evening sessions. An all-session season ticket is £75.
The Masters will carry an $80,000 prize fund, and the event will be broadcast live for 20 hours in total. In addition, Matchroom Sport Television who will be making 15 x 1 hour programmes of the tournament for international syndication.
2017 World Pool Masters – Draw
(1) Shane Van Boening (USA) v Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP)
(8) David Alcaide (ESP) v Ralf Souquet (GER)
(5) Albin Ouschan (AUT) v Francisco Bustamante (PHI)
(4) Wu Jiaqing (CHN) v Naoyuki Oi (JAP)
(3) Jayson Shaw (SCO) v Wojciech Szewczyk (POL)
(6) Alex Pagulayan (CAN) v Gibraltarian Qualifier (GIB)
(7) Niels Feijen (NED) v Omar Al Shaheen (KUW)
(2) Chang Jung Lin (TPE) v Mark Gray (ENG)
2017 World Pool Masters – Schedule
Friday 17th February 19.00pm
R1 – Van Boening (USA) v Sanchez Ruiz (ESP)
R1 – Alcaide (ESP) v Souquet (GER)
R1 – Ouschan (AUT) v Bustamante (PHI)
Saturday 18th February 13.00pm
R1 – Wu (CHN) v Oi (JAP)
R1 – Shaw (SCO) v Szewczyk (POL)
R1 – Pagulayan (CAN) v Gibraltarian Qualifier (GIB)
Saturday 18th February 18.00pm
R1 – Feijen (NED) v Al Shaheen (KUW)
R1 – Chang (TPE) v Gray (ENG)
QF – Van Boening/Sanchez Ruiz v Alcaide/Souquet
Sunday 19th February 13.00pm
QF –Ouschan/Bustamante v Wu/Oi
QF – Shaw/Szewczyk v Pagulayan/Qualifier
QF – Feijen/Al Shaheen v Chang/Gray
Sunday 19th February 18.00pm
Semi-Final 1
Semi Final 2
The Final
The World Pool Masters is sponsored by the following suppliers: RASSON (tables), IWAN SIMONIS (cloth), SALUC (balls), PREDATOR (cues) and ULTIMATE TEAM GEAR (clothing).
Luke Riches, Matchroom Sport: luke.riches@matchroom.com / +447785 395688
mschy.events@gibraltar.gov.gi / +350 200 47592.
Notes: Matchroom Sport are one of the world’s leading producers of televised sport and are responsible for over 1,000 hours of original programming across a range of sports. Based in the UK and chaired by charismatic founder Barry Hearn, the World Pool Masters is one of a stable of pool events that include the World Cup of Pool and the Mosconi Cup.