The 99 David Loman Cup S1 took place in Vietnam and featured top-level pool players—primarily from Vietnam and the Philippines—alongside many rising Vietnamese talents. Held at the 99 Billiards Club, the tournament delivered exciting matchups and high-level competition. In the end, it was Johann Chua of the Philippines who emerged as champion.
🇵🇭 Johann Chua’s Road to the Championship
Johann Chua once again proved why he’s called “Mr. Consistent,” delivering one strong performance after another to claim the 99 David Loman Cup title.
Chua had marquee all-Filipino clash against Anton Raga on the losers’ qualification round. Chua came out on top with an 11–8 win, handing Raga his second loss and eliminating him from the tournament.
In the Round of 16, Chua overpowered 🇻🇳 Lương Văn Tuấn with a clean 11–5 win to advance to the semifinals.
He then faced 🇻🇳 Đặng Thành Kiên in the semifinals, controlling the pace from the start and securing an 11–7 win to reach his second final in as many weeks. Just a week earlier, Chua finished runner-up at the Peri Tribute Cup, where he fell to Vietnam’s Nguyen “Fedor” Anh Tuan.
In the final, Chua capped his run with a dominant 13–5 win over fellow Filipino Jeffrey Ignacio, sealing the championship in style.
🇵🇭 Jeffrey Ignacio’s Road to the Finals
Jeffrey Ignacio had a strong run in the tournament and a good momentum builder for the upcoming slate of tournaments this July. He started with a solid 11–5 win over Huy C300 to reach the Last 32.
In the Round of 32, he followed up with a commanding performance, defeating fellow Filipino Bryant Saguiped 11–3 to enter the quarterfinals.
In the quarters, Ignacio faced 🇻🇳 Nguyen Quang Huy. It was a tense match, with Huy nearly forcing a hill-hill finish. But a costly scratch after pocketing the 9 ball at 10–9 gave Ignacio the win at 11–9.
The semifinals against 🇻🇳 Luong Duc Thien went down to the wire. Tied at 10–10, Ignacio kept his composure and completed a tough runout to seal the 11–10 victory and book his place in the final against Johann Chua.
🇻🇳 Vietnamese Players Put Up a Fight
Vietnam had many strong players in the event. Luong Duc Thien, Dang Thanh Kien, Nguyen Van Huynh, and Duy Nho all made deep runs.
- Dang Thanh Kien lost to Johann Chua in the semifinals, 11–7.
- Luong Duc Thien was one win away from the finals but lost to Ignacio in a close 11–10 match.
- Duy Nho, also known to Filipino fans as Bimby, pulled off a big upset against Michael Feliciano, winning 11–9 in the early rounds.
Vietnam’s young players showed they can compete with some of the best in Asia.
🏆 Final Results
| Placement | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Champion | Johann Chua | 🇵🇭 Philippines | ₫80,000,000 (~$3,200 USD) |
| 🥈 1st Runner-up | Jeffrey Ignacio | 🇵🇭 Philippines | ₫30,000,000 (~$1,200 USD) |
| 🥉 2nd Runners-up | Dang Thanh Kien Luong Duc Thien |
🇻🇳 Vietnam 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
₫15,000,000 each (~$600 USD) |
📌 Why This Tournament Mattered
The 99 David Loman Cup was the first international tournament under this new series. It was well-organized, well-attended, and livestreamed to fans across the region.
It gave non-pro (Class B to C) Vietnamese players a chance to compete against top talents from the Philippines, and gave fans exciting matchups—including several high-stakes all-Filipino battles.