THE Taiwanese have almost machine-like efficiency, the Singaporeans are too erratic, and the rest of the field just fades into plain obscurity. If there's a bunch of players who truly make the game of pool a spectacle, both in terms of play and personality, it has to be the Filipinos

And the grinning ace in their pack is Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan.

Pagulayan massages his opponent

Watching the 2004 9-ball world champion at play in the just-ended Singapore leg of the Guinness 9-ball Tour at the Orchid Country , it's easy to see how he has earned his nickname. Standing 1.6 metres tall, you often hear the larger-than-life Pagulayan before you see him, while his "never-say-die" tenacity always makes him an odds-on favourite in just about any tournament he plays in.

From his early start at 10, when he picked up a cue for the first time in his father's pool hall, the 29-year-old now travels the world playing the game he loves, endearing himself to spectators who have seen him play.

Playing up the crowd, hapless opponents, and even stoic referees, he wears his heart on his sleeve and a whole gamut of expressions on his pixie-like face.

In his final group match against Chang Jung-Lin of Chinese Taipei, a mobile phone rang as he was midway through making a shot. While other players might have been annoyed and got up to compose themselves , Alex yelled "Hello!" as if he were answering the call, and made the shot without missing a beat.

Not to be outdone, Chang tried his hand at some Pagulayan-style showmanship, much to the amusement of the crowd. On a routine 9-ball, he raised his fingers in a 'V' for victory sign and slid his cue through the 'improvised' bridge, potting the ball. Not that it mattered, as Pagulayan had already amassed enough racks at that point to ensure he qualified for the next stage of the tournament.

Still, it was great to see that Asia's best players enjoying the lighter side of things despite the US$15,000 purse at stake.

the Lion gets down to business

Cheering for the pixie-like Pagulayan during that match were the father and son pair, Alam & Shaheed, who were literally (seated) behind the Philippino and cheering their hearts out. When asked why they were such fervent supporters, 9-year-old Shaheed exclaimed: "Because he's funny!" Shaheed's father, Alam, who's in his late 40s, told AsiaOne that he had been following the young Philippino's career since the early 90s, and that both enjoyed watching the diminutive dynamo at work. They were clearly not the only ones.

Following his 9-8 win against Chang, Alex went on to beat fellow countryman, Roberto Gomez, in a quarterfinal that saw him claw back from a 0-5 deficit.

Pagulayan's passage at the Singapore leg ended unfortunately at the semi-final stage, in a titanic battle that lasted three hours. He lost 11-13 to Malaysian stalwart, Ibrahim Amir, who in turn lost to Yang Ching Shun in a significantly less entertaining final match which ended 11-8.

With just the Shanghai leg to go before the grand finals in Bali, the Taiwanese looks favourites to win the tour with Chang Jung-Lin, Chao Fong-Pang, and Yang Ching Shun occupying the top three spots in the players' standings.

SIDE NOTE: WHO MADE THE MAGICIAN DISAPPEAR?

Notable absentees from this year's premier pool tour though, are living legends Efren "Bata" Reyes, who's also known as the 'Magician', and Francisco "Django" Bustamante from the Philippines. Word has it that potential sponsor issues made them miss out on the most lucrative pool circuit in Asia.

Listen to the podcast for Alex Pagulayan's pick of the top 5 players in Asia, playing poker, his short-lived attempt at playing snooker, and his message to his fans in Singapore.