The win awarded Pagulayan the $ 20,000 top purse, and more important, gave the flamboyant 28-year-old Filipino his first title this year.

"This was like winning the World Championship for me. I’ve always wanted it but I’ve finally broken the ice," said a jubilant Pagulayan, a stalwart of Puyat Sports and member of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP).

After his relatively easy victory over Bustamante, Pagulayan found himself trailing 6-3 against the equally-determined Immonen, who made it to the title showdown after trouncing 18-year-old Taiwanese sensation Ko Pin-yi in their Final-Four match.

But the match had a sudden twist after Immonen committed an illegal break of the 10th rack, where he pocketed a ball but failed to carry two other balls past the headstring. From there Pagulayan cleared the table to gain the necessary momentum and he became stronger over the closing stages to take victory. He pocketed five consecutive racks in doing so.

"This is 9 ball and I couldn’t get too upset because I didn’t get a chance. I thought if he runs the set, then he runs the set but I knew that if I got a chance I would need to focus and concentrate and do the best I can," explained Pagulayan, whose previous best finish in this annual event was a runner-up to Ralf Souquet in 2006.

"I really didn’t think I’d won it until the last 9 ball dropped but there were lots of people who like me watching and that was good for me to have that support," he added.

Immonen settled for the runner-up purse worth $ 10,000, while Bustamante, who won the tournament in 1998 and 2001, took home $ 5,000, the same amount received by Ko.

Pagulayan and Bustamante will be joined by Efren "Bata" Reyes as they compete in the Predator International 10-Ball Championship starting today also in Las Vegas.