Defending champion Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan will face a tough opponent, Holland’s Nick Van Den Berg, in his opening match in the 2009 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters in May.

“Alex Pagulayan has the toughest of matches as he opens his defence against dangerous Dutchman Nick van den Berg,” said Barry Hearn, Matchroom Sport’s Chairman, in a report posted on BilliardPhilippines.com.

Van de Berg, who was runner-up to Wu Chia-ching in the WPA World Eight-ball Championship, is the current European number three. He also represented Team Europe in the Mosconi Cup three times.

The Pagulayan-Van de Berg match will be Match 1 of the World Pool Masters, which will be staged at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from May 8 to May 10.

At stake in the competition is the $20,000 top prize.

Pagulayan’s comrade, former World No. 1 Dennis Orcollo, will also have his hands full when he meets Alain Martel of Canada in Match 7.

Also competing in the World Pool Masters are Tony Drago, Niels Feijen, Johnny Archer, Imran Majid, Darren Appleton, Raj Hundal, Mika Immonen and Jianbo Fu.