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]
In 2010, Corteza beat Taiwanese 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 defeated Fu Che-wei of Taiwan 11–6 to win the China Open Nine-ball Championship and pocketed the top prize of $40,000.[10] Also 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.[11]
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.[14][15]
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.[16]
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.[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 resides Astoria, New York,[38] although he has a house in Davao City and stays there when he returns to the Philippines.[citation needed]
