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One missed shot can determine the fortune of a player in the Philippine Open Pool Championships.

The 10th and last seat to the main draw of this event came down to a hill-hill battle between Victor Arpilleda, a veteran of many pool matches, and Roland dela Cruz, a player who wants to make his mark in the sport.

The more experienced Arpilleda crumbled under pressure as he missed an all-important shot in the 17th and final rack. The former Southeast Asian Games gold medalist bungled a crucial shot at the corner pocket on ball No. 9 and lost the match to Dela Cruz, 9-8, at the close of the qualifying stage matches of this event.

Arpilleda was about to complete a comeback from a 7-4 deficit and nearly had the match in the bag when he made a good break on the balls, which was scattered near the side and corner pockets.

One by one, Arpilleda was able to knock in a ball until there were only two left — Nos. 9 and 10.

But disaster struck in the next play.

Arpilleda hurriedly took a shot at No.9 on the left corner and missed it.

Dela Cruz wasted no time pocketing the last two balls and securing a berth in the main stage of this event to be participated by current and former world men and women’s champions.

Arpilleda was left in disbelief after missing the shot — a shot which he normally makes — in more than three decades of competing.

Surprised on the outcome, Dela Cruz believes the pressure caught up on his rival.

“Malamang pressured din siya kaya ang ginawa niya mindali yung tira. Pwede ring masyado rin siyang naging kumpiyansa," said Dela Cruz. “Wala na talaga sa isip ko na mananalo ako, pero nabigyan pa tayo ng pagkakataon."