Some of the world's leading women players will be competing against their male counterparts in the Philippine Open Pool Championship starting on Wednesday, May 27.

In fact, six out of the 64 players entered in the tournament are women.

They are Austrian Jasmin Ouschan, Brit Kelly Fisher, Irish Karen Corr and Julie Kelly, and Americans Melissa Little and Sarah Rousey.

The women billiards players will see action at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City against the likes of US No.1 Shane Van Boening and reigning World Ten Ball champion Darren Appleton.

Current US Open champion Mika Immonen and World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) world No.1 player Ralf Souquet are also competing in the event.

According to the event organizer’s website, RayaSports.com, Austria’s Ouschan posted “impressive finishes against male players in major tournaments, like the world straight pool championship.”

The Austrian also won the 2006 Billiards Congress of America (BCA) Open 9-Ball Championship.

Fisher, meantime, was the 2000 World 9-Ball Women’s champion, and 2008 US Women’s Open Championship titlist. She has also bagged the European women’s championship thrice.

Corr is a two-time WPBA BCA champion, three-time World Snooker champion, and three-time World English Billiard champion. She is also a European snooker champion, WPBA US Open champion, and WPBA 9-Ball champion.

USA’s Little, on the other hand, was a former two-time amateur national champion, Her fellow American, Rousey, is currently ranked sixth in the Women’s Professional Billiards Association.

The Philippine Open Pool Championship will run until May 31.