Lee Vann Corteza Explained
Lee Vann Corteza, also spelled Lee Van Corteza, (born March 1, 1979, in Davao City, Philippines) is a Filipino professional pool player.[1] He is nicknamed "The Slayer",[2] and started playing pool in 1993.[3]
Early life
Corteza is the oldest of five brothers. His parents named him after American actor Lee Van Cleef. Corteza first took up pool at age thirteen, after a friend brought him to a pool parlor. Corteza was subsequently blacklisted from the parlor after accidentally damaging a table, but he continued to pursue his passion for the game at other parlors.[4]
Career
Corteza has won four gold medals and one silver medal at the Southeast Asian Games, and was the winner of the 2004 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour tournament in the Philippines, beating fellow countryman Francisco "Django" Bustamante 13–11 in the final.[5] [6]
On March 31, 2007, Corteza won the Philippine National Championship by defeating Marlon Manalo with a score of 13–11. Corteza finished runner up in the 2009 WPA World Ten-ball Championship.[7]
In 2010, Corteza beat Chinese Lo Li-Wen 13–12, in the final to rule the U.S. Open Ten-ball Championship in Las Vegas. Corteza got the revenge after Lo Li-Wen sent him to the one loss side with 9–6 score. Corteza proceeded to defeat Shane Van Boening 9–8 in order to face Lo in the championship match, winning the title and $20,000 in price money.[8] [9]
In 2013, Corteza together with his partner Dennis Orcollo clinched the title in the 2013 World Cup of Pool after defeating the Dutch tandem of Niels Feijen and Nick van den Berg, 10–8, at York Hall in London, England. They became the third Filipino duo to win the annual single-elimination tournament for doubles teams in nine-ball competition after Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco Bustamante won the inaugural event in 2006 and then repeated in 2009.[10]
In 2017, Corteza defeated Thorsten Hohmann 300–183 to win the Dragon 14.1 Tournament.[11] [12]
In 2020, Corteza dominated Joshua Filler of Germany, 11–4, to win the Derby City Classic Nine-ball held at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino and Hotel, Elizabeth, Indiana.[13] [14]
Corteza has pocketed $16,000 for his efforts, while Filler settled for $8,000. Corteza was also able to reach the final of the bigfoot ten-ball event that year but would lose to Jayson Shaw of Great Britain 11–5.[15]
In 2024, Corteza clinched the Predator Pro Billiards Series Las Vegas Ten-ball Open in an electrifying all-Filipino final, defeating fellow veteran Carlo Biado in two sets with scores of 4–2 and 4–3 at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in the United States.[16]
Corteza took home $30,000 prize money (P1.7 million) for his victory, while Biado received $14,000 (P783,000) for his runner-up finish.[17]
Titles and achievements
Personal life
Corteza currently resides Astoria, New York.[35]
Notes and References
- http://worldpoolchampionship.com/article_detail.asp?article_id=2150 "Second time lucky for Van Corteza"
- Web site: 2011-08-24 . Filipino Cue Master Lee Vann Corteza Wins Asian Invitational Championship; Pockets $7,000 - News - AZBILLIARDS.COM . 2024-02-09 . AzBilliards.
- http://www.espnstar.com/asian9ball/asian9ball_playerdetails_554944.html "Player Profile: Lee Van Corteza"
- Web site: Next in Line . October 11, 2017 . Ted . Lerner . Billiards Digest . 2 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171012094725/http://www.billiardsdigest.com/new_current_issue/aug_10/corteza_2.php . October 12, 2017 . live.
- http://www.azbilliards.com/thepros/2000showtourney2004.cfm?eventnum=112 "San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour Stop"
- http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/oct/31/yehey/sports/20061031spo1.html "Villanueva, Corteza advance to the World Pool tourney"
- Web site: Immonen wins World 10-ball Championship . azbilliards.com . November 20, 2009 . August 29, 2018 .
- Web site: 2010-05-23 . Corteza slays Lo for US Open 10-Ball Title - News - AZBILLIARDS.COM . 2024-02-22 . AzBilliards.
- Web site: Sunnexdesk . 2010-05-23 . Corteza dominates US 10-Ball . 2024-02-22 . SunStar Publishing Inc. . en.
- Web site: Renee . Fopalan . September 23, 2013 . PHL duo of Corteza, Orcollo nab 2013 World Cup of Pool title . October 3, 2023 . GMA News Online.
- Web site: Corteza stuns four-time champ Hohmann for title . April 16, 2017 . October 9, 2017 . Marianne L. . Saberon-Abalayan . Sunstar.com . SunStar Davao.
- Web site: Corteza makes history . October 13, 2017 . October 14, 2017 . Roy . Luarca . Inquirer.net . https://web.archive.org/web/20171014234034/http://sports.inquirer.net/268336/corteza-makes-history . October 14, 2017 . live.
- Web site: Derby City Classic 2020 9-Ball Division - Horseshoe Southern Indiana - January 24 - February 1st, 2020 - Results - AZBILLIARDS.COM . 2024-02-09 . AzBilliards.
- Web site: Co . Chris . Corteza kampeon sa 9-Ball Derby Classic . 2024-02-09 . Philstar.com.
- Web site: Saberon-Abalayan . Marianne L. . 2020-01-31 . Corteza second in Indiana event . 2024-02-09 . SunStar Publishing Inc. . en.
- Web site: 2024-02-25 . Pinoy Power: Centeno & Corteza Triumph in Las Vegas Open . 2024-02-26 . Predator Pro Billiard Series . en.
- Web site: Villar . Joey . Centeno, Corteza rule Las Vegas 10-Ball Open . 2024-02-26 . Philstar.com.
- Web site: Corteza wins big in 2017 US Open . April 16, 2017 . April 16, 2017 . Marianne L. . Saberon-Abalayan . Sunstar.com . SunStar Davao.
- Web site: World Cup of Pool 2013 . AZBilliards.com . September 22, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130928063951/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/177-world-cup-of-pool/5561-888com-world-cup-of-pool-2013/results/ . September 28, 2013 . live.
- Web site: China Open Men's Div. 2013 . AZBilliards.com . May 19, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130813092827/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/123-china-world-9-ball-open/5319-china-open-2013-mens-division/results/ . August 13, 2013 . live.
- Web site: Southern Cl. 2013 9B Div. . AZBilliards.com . June 29, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130813010038/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/155-southern-classic/5557-southern-classic-2013-9-ball-division/results/ . August 13, 2013 . live.
- Web site: Manny Pacquiao International 10B C'ship . AZBilliards.com . December 18, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130913050541/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/99-independent-tournaments/4339-manny-pacquiao-international-10-ball-championship/results/ . September 13, 2013 . live.
- Web site: SMB Oktoberfest . AZBilliards.com . October 30, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130913035718/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/99-independent-tournaments/4240-smb-oktoberfest/results/ . September 13, 2013 . live.
- Web site: Corteza wins 9 Ball Invitational Championship in Malaysia . August 21, 2011 . www.cuesports.org.tw . February 23, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111020161446/http://www.cuesports.org.tw/apbu/news/3rd-golden-break-9-ball-invitational-championship-2011/ . October 20, 2011 . live.
- Web site: US Open 10-Ball 2010 . AZBilliards.com . May 22, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130829211510/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/159-us-open-10-ball-championship/3208-us-open-10-ball-championship-2010/results/ . August 29, 2013 . live.
- Web site: Hard Times 10B 2010 . AZBilliards.com . May 9, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130913113117/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/132-hard-times-billiards-10-ball-open/3192-hard-times-10-ball-open-2010/results/ . September 13, 2013 . live.
- Web site: Predator 10B 2010 Spain . AZBilliards.com . January 9, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130826055658/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/100-predator-10-ball-world-tour/3351-predator-international-10-ball-tour-2010-spain-philippines-event/results/ . August 26, 2013 . live.
- Web site: DCC 2009 10B Challenge . AZBilliards.com . January 31, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130912102521/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/124-derby-city-classic/2604-derby-city-classic-2009-10-ball-challenge/results/ . September 12, 2013 . live.
- Web site: Turning Stone IX . AZBilliards.com . August 19, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130828121203/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/1-joss-northeast-9-ball-tour/1844-turning-stone-casino-classic-ix/results/ . August 28, 2013 . live.
- Web site: Lee Van Corteza . ProPool.info . September 28, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131126090419/http://propool.info/players/lee-van-corteza.htm . November 26, 2013 . live.
- Web site: San Miguel Tour 2004 Stop 5 . AZBilliards.com . May 30, 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130911084448/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/24-guinness-world-series-of-pool/868-san-miguel-asian-9-ball-tour-2004-stop-5/results/ . September 11, 2013 . live.
- http://www.insidepool.com/article1095.html "Lee Van Corteza"
- http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2005/jul/20/yehey/sports/20050720spo6.html "Bata Leads Billiards 'Dream Team' for RP to SEA Games"
- http://www.olympic.ph/downloads/SEAGamesMedallists.pdf "Southeast Asian Games Medallists"
- Web site: Lee Vann Corteza.