Lee Vann Corteza, also spelledLee Van Corteza, (born March 1, 1979, inDavao City,Philippines) is aFilipino professionalpool player.[1] He is nicknamed "The Slayer",[2] and started playing pool in 1993.[3]
Corteza is the oldest of five brothers. His parents named him after American actorLee 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]
In 2010, Corteza beat Taiwanese Lo Li-Wen 13–12, in the final to rule theU.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 defeatShane Van Boening 9–8 in order to face Lo in the championship match, winning the title and $20,000 in prize money.[8][9]
In 2013, Corteza defeatedFu Che-wei of Taiwan 11–6 to win theChina Open Nine-ball Championship and pocketed the top prize of $40,000.[10] Also in 2013, Corteza together with his partnerDennis Orcollo clinched the title in the2013 World Cup of Pool after defeating the Dutch tandem ofNiels Feijen andNick 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 afterEfren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco Bustamante won the inaugural event in 2006 and then repeated in 2009.[11]
In 2020, Corteza dominatedJoshua Filler of Germany, 11–4, to win theDerby City Classic Nine-ball held at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino and Hotel, Elizabeth, Indiana.[14][15]
Corteza 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 toJayson Shaw of Great Britain 11–5.[16]
In 2024, Corteza clinched the Predator Pro Billiards SeriesLas Vegas Ten-ball Open in an electrifying all-Filipino final, defeating fellow veteranCarlo Biado in two sets with scores of 4–2 and 4–3 at theRio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in the United States.[17]
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.[18]
Corteza currently residesAstoria, New York,[38] although he has a house in Davao City and stays there when he returns to the Philippines.[citation needed]
Philippines
