SEOUL - The big money is lost on three European top five players, one American and one African. The main prize in the LG U+ Cup, nearly 60.000 euros, goes to one of the three remaining Koreans or a Vietnamese outsider. The old world of three-cushion is still dominating the World Cups, the new world sends its hijackers to the gold coast.
Torbjörn Blomdahl, Frédéric Caudron and Dani Sánchez were not able to resist the attack of the Asians in the highly funded tournament. They can now concentrate on the World championship in Bordeaux next week.
Choong-Bok Lee, Hyung-Ki Kim, Tran Chien Quyet and Jin Pyo Hong battle it out for the big money and decide who will be Dong Koong Kangs successor, who won last year's final against Dick Jaspers. The Dutchman, a reknowned prize fighter, was not invited to this second edition.
Vietnamese Quyet Chien Tran was the best in average of sixteen players: 4 match points, 2.400. Torbjörn Blomdahl scored the highest run: 18.
The matches for the semi-finals:
Jin Pyo Hong - Choong Bok Lee
Quyet Chien Tran - Hyung Kon Kim
The group overview:
Group A:
Frédéric Caudron, the big favorite in this group, needed a victory and a high level match against Jung-Han Heo. His competitors in the last session were Jae Guen Kim and Hyung-Kon Kim, who played against each other. The Belgian's adventure was over before the match was half on the way. Caudron still led 11-9 in six innings. Then Heo attacked with a fifteen-run. The match-end was a one-man show from the Korean, who won 40-14 in thirteen innings.
Hyung-Kon Kim, who only lost to Caudron 40-38, was the better of Jae Guen Kim and was the proud group group winner.
Frédéric Caudron, stopped by a superb Jung-Han Heo in 13 innings
Jung-Han Heo killed Caudron's chances in the last session
Group B:
The number one after two rounds, Choong Bok Lee, could afford a loss against HaengJik Kim in the final session. The Korean just needed a better average than Blomdahl, when the Swede could beat Dani Sánchez. The difference to the finishing line was minimal, to the good of Lee. HaengJik Kim won the Korean bump against Lee 40-28 in 26 innings. Torbjörn Blomdahl was fighting for his last chance, sparkled at 9-9 after six innings with a brilliant run of 18, but then lost his chances after seven misses in a row between the 14th and the 20th inning. The victory over Sánchez, who was plagued by too many unfortunate kisses, took 22 innings, two innings too much to become group winner. The averages of the three players with two match points: Lee, 1.687, Blomdahl, 1.645, HaengJik Kim, 1.542.
Choong-Bok Lee, winner in the group of death with Blomdahl, Sánchez and HaengJik Kim
Torbjörn Blomdahl, down and out despite a marvelous run of 18
Dani Sánchez, tournament with three losses in a row
HaengJik Kim and Choong-Bok Lee shake hands before their decisive match
Group C:
Vietnamese Quyet Chien Tran was the undisputed best player in the preliminaries. He finished with the magnificant average of 2.400 and dashed off his matches in 16, 17 and 17 innings. Tran was especially strong in his end rushes, beating all his opponents to the finish. Pedro Piedrabuena closed his tournament, after a poor start against Tran, with wins over Sameh Sidhom and in the last match against Myung-Woo Cho: 40-28 in 22. The young Myung-Woo Cho couldn't shine in this tournament like he did in the recent World Cups.
Quyet Chien Tran, the Vietnamese in the final field with three Koreans
Young player Myung Woo Cho couldn't shine after his great performance in the recent World Cups
Group D:
The tough all-Korean flight had a surprising winner in Jin Pyo Hong, leaving the big names Sung Won Choi, Jae Ho Cho and Dong Koong Kang empty handed. Last year's winner DKK did beat Jae Ho Cho in a strong closing match (40-34 in 21), but to no avail. Jin Pyo Hong already had four points, could afford a draw against Sung Won Choi, and even if he lost there was a chance for him to win the group on average. His battle with former world champion Choi was tension filled but not of the highest quality: 40-34 in 28 to Hong, who finds himself in the semifinals.
Jin-Pio Hong, surprising winner in a group with four Korean star players
Dong Koong Kang, last year's winner in Seoul
Sung-Wpn Choi, one top match in 14 innings, two losses and out of the game