Francisco Bustamante

Personal Background

• Name: Francisco Bustamante
• Known as: "Django"
• Sex: Male
• Age: 44 years old
• Date of Birth: December 29, 1963
• Place of Birth: Tarlac, Philippines
• Country: Philippines
• Nationality: Filipino
• Hobbies: Playing pool
• Spouse: na
• Sports: Billiard

Achievements:

• 2007 Hard Times Summer Jamboree One Pocket Division
• 2007 Hard Times Summer Jamboree 9-Ball
• 2007 US Pro Tour Championship
• 2006 World Cup of Pool
• 2005 Masters 9-Ball Champion
• 2005 Joss NE 9-Ball Tour Finale Champion
• 2005 All-Filipino Billiards Open
• 2005 Weert Open 10-Ball Ring Game
• 2004 World Pool League Champion
• 2003 ESPN International Challenge of Champions
• 2002 All Japan Championship
• 2002 ESPN Sudden Death 7-Ball
• 2002 Gabriels Las Vegas International 9-Ball
• 2002 Peninsula 9-Ball Open
• 2002 IBC Tour Stop 2 (Munich, Germany)
• 2002 Motolite World 9-Ball Challenge
• 2002 IBC Tokyo 9-Ball International
• 2001 World Pool Masters
• 2001 Turning Stone Casino Classic II
• 2000 Motolite International 9-Ball Championship
• 1999 ESPN International Challenge of Champions
• 1999 Camel Tulsa 9-Ball Open
• 1998 Camel Riviera 8-Ball Open
• 1998 World Pool Masters
• 1998 Camel Tulsa 9-Ball Open
• 1998 Camel Columbus 10-Ball Open
• 1998 Sands Regency Open 28
• 1997 Camel Kasson Open
• 1997 Camel Denver Open
• 1993 PBT Bicycle Club Invitational

Trivia:

• Bustamante has played since the age of 10 years old, and has won titles like The Munich Masters, The German 9-Ball Championship and The Japan 9-Ball Championship making him one of billiard's greatest international stars.
• With his win in Tulsa, "Django" locked up the 1998 Camel Pro Billiards Series year-long point fund's top spot. He then finished the season in record breaking style, winning the Columbus 10-Ball Open and becoming the first player to win three Camel titles in one season. His Columbus 10-Ball title also completed the first ever Camel trifecta, with titles in each of the three games contested on the Camel Pro Billiards Series: 8-Ball, 9-Ball and 10-Ball. Known for his graceful style at the table and his signature behind-the-back shot, "Django" is one of the best Filipino players of the game along with fellow Kapampangan Efren Reyes, Marlon Manalo and Ronato Alcano.
• One of his trademarks is shooting with the cue behind his back. He also holds the world record for having the most powerful break shot: 43 miles per hour.
• In 1999, Bustamante finished 3rd place in WPA World Nine-ball Championship after losing to Efren Reyes who later won it. Months later, he won the International Challenge of Champions. He won that tournament again three years later.
• The next year, Bustamante won the Motolite 9-ball Tournament, an event held in the Philippines, at the expense of Antonio Lining. The victory earned him $30K which was the largest first prize offered in a Philippine-held tournament at that time (this was later surpassed when Alcano won $100K in the 2006 WPA World Nine-ball Championship which was held in that country).
• The year 2002 was probably the coldest year for Bustamante, especially when considering his experience at the World Pool Championships. While the tournament was still going on, Bustamante was most shock when he receive a phone call from his wife informing him that his daughter ,who was less than a year old, had died. Devastated he was by this, "Django" almost wanted to forfeit his contention at tournament and return to the Philippines. But some people around convince him to go on.
• On his way to the final, Bustamante bested Antonio Lining in the last 16, Efren Reyes in the quarter finals and Ching Shun Yang in semis. In the final, he met Earl Strickland, the 2-time winner of the tournament. Bustamante was leading most of the time and could have won the title. At one point, he went for a jump shot but missed. Strickland returned to the table and won a few rack in a row to win the match 17-15.
• His loss at the final of the World Championship was most definitely a big blow to him on account that there's probably no reason for him to lose. Nonetheless. Bustamante starting making a number of tournaments wins shortly thereafter.
• Bustamante won the Peninsula 9-Ball Open, Gabriels Las Vegas International 9-Ball, IBC Tokyo 9-Ball International and All Japan Championship. He even won the Sudden Death 7-Ball tournament and dedicated it to his daughter whom he had tragically lost. With such a string victories, he became the AzBilliards 2002 Player of the Year.
• Despite not winning the crown at the IPT World Open 8-Ball Championship, Bustamante had an extraordinary performance in the tournament. There, he won 18 matches in a row. This is a feat that perhaps no one can surpass or even equal. This also is most definitely a world record in pool for the most consecutive matches won in a tournament.
• In 2007, "Bustie", as he is fondly called in the United States, was undefeated and snatched the United States Pro Tour Championship held at the Normandie Casino in Los Angeles, California.
• Despite the fact he never won a world championship, Bustamante is rated second to Reyes when it comes to recognition.