---
title: "Giant Killer Bernie Regalario Is Filipino Pool's Next Star"
url: https://sports23.net/giant-killer-bernie-regalario-is-filipino-pool-s-next-star
published: 2026-10-26T05:43:52Z
updated: 2026-10-27T09:17:26Z
summary: "Bernie Regalario toppled defending champion David Alcaide and U.S. Open winner Francisco Sanchez Ruiz in a breakout run at the 2026 Philippines Open."
author: "Sports23 Editorial"
categories: ["Players"]
tags: ["Bernie Regalario", "Billiards", "Johann Chua", "Philippines", "Philippines Open", "Pool"]
lang: en
---

# Giant Killer Bernie Regalario Is Filipino Pool's Next Star

*The unheralded home hope dethroned the defending champion and routed the U.S. Open winner on the same Friday at Gateway Mall — the latest giant-killing act from a player who beat Efren Reyes at 14.*

A year ago, Bernie Regalario was a quarterfinalist at the Philippines Open — a promising name on the rise. On Friday night, he walked out of Gateway Mall as the tournament's giant killer, and Filipino pool's newest star.

On the deciding day of the 2026 Roobet Philippines Open in Quezon City, the unheralded home hope first ended David Alcaide's title defense with a 10-2 rout in the last 16, then returned hours later to dismantle reigning U.S. Open champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz 10-1 in the quarterfinals. Across the two biggest matches of his career, he dropped a total of three racks.

The twin wins headlined an all-Filipino semifinal lineup — the first time in World Nineball Tour history that one country has swept a major's final four.

## A week of slaying giants

Regalario's path through the 128-player field at Gateway Mall 2 in Cubao was emphatic from the start. He beat Albert Espinola 10-4, Jesson Marabi 10-2 and Demosthenes Pulpul 10-5 before running into the heavyweights on Friday.

Through five matches he conceded just 14 racks — the stingiest run of the week, per AZBilliards. Alcaide, the Spaniard who won this event in 2025, managed two. Sanchez Ruiz — the world No. 3 and MVP of the Reyes Cup in Manila a week earlier — managed one.

"Of course, it was a tough battle against David and Francisco, one the defending champion and the other the US Open champion," Regalario said afterward. "I didn't let that bother me. I just focused on the game and gave it my all. Luck was on my side today."

"I've never played in front of a crowd like this," he added. "I feel the pressure, but it also gives me strength to have my home crowd rooting for me."

## The kid who once beat 'The Magician'

Pool insiders in the Philippines have seen this coming for years. Regalario, from Paranaque City, picked up a cue at 10 — and at 14, he beat none other than Efren "Bata" Reyes, the most beloved player the country has produced. To Manila's pool community he is "Benok"; to fans, the "Li'l Prince."

At the 2025 World Pool Championship, a 20-year-old Regalario reached the semifinals before losing to compatriot Carlo Biado, who went on to win the world title. He arrived at this year's Philippines Open ranked 18th on the WNT's prize-money list — respected, but rarely named among the men to beat.

That has now changed.

## The run ends — for now

The giant-killing run ended in Saturday's semifinal, where Johann Chua recovered from an 0-2 hole to reel off ten straight racks and win 10-2. Chua then edged Anton Raga 11-9 in the all-Filipino final.

Regalario still leaves with $7,000 as a semifinalist, a second career major semifinal, and a highlight reel featuring the defending champion and the world No. 3 — both beaten on the same afternoon. For a country that produced Reyes, Biado, Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Ronnie Alcano, the message from Gateway was simple: the production line is still running, and its next name may be Bernie Regalario.

![Carlo Biado, Chezka Centeno, Rubilen Amit and Johann Chua with their 9-ball medals at the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur](media:526fa9fefff62510)