By Ivan Saldajeno
QUEZON CITY--Earl Strickland showed his vintage form after beating Django Bustamante, 11-6, in the final of the WNT Legends on Friday at the Gateway Mall 2 Quantum Skyview.
Strickland quickly asserted control with a 4-0 lead as errors hounded Bustamante early on to the dismay of the home crowd.
Bustamante finally came alive, taking five of the next six racks to force a 5-all deadlock, but Strickland restored order with back-to-back racks to retake a 7-5 lead.
Bustamante kept himself in the match after taking Rack 13, but Strickland closed out the final with four straight wins.
"It still feels like I accomplished something beating my old guy," the 64-year-old American pool legend said after the win.
Ralf Souquet clinched third place after edging Efren "Bata" Reyes, 11-9, while Souquet and Strickland prevailed in a special doubles match that went hill-hill before sealing the 5-4 win.
