SEOUL - The winner of the Final Tour in the PBA, the Professional Billiard Association in South Korea, will receive an astronomical top prize of 220,000 euros, the losing finalist will receive 22,000 (one tenth of the winner's amount). The differences between the winner and the rest of the field of 32 participants are remarkable. The numbers 16 to 32 receive 750 euros and the numbers 8 to 16 go home with 1500 euros.
The ladies' winner is also rewarded with a jackpot and the highest prize ever won in ladies' three cushion: 75,000 euros, but the runner-up has to make do with much less: 15000 euros.
The Final Tour is played with 32 players in the men's event, in the women's event with 16 players. The final field was composed of the ranking after five individual PBA tournaments.
The Final Four will be played in the Grand Walker Hill hotel from February 26 to March 6. The format is in the first preliminaries with eight groups of four players, in sets of 15 caroms. The best two from each group qualify for the top 16.
Filippos Kasidokostas is the number 1 ranked player in the man's event, Mi-rae Lee the number 1 in the ladies final.
The prize schedule for the men:
Winner 220,000 Euros
Losing finalist 22,000
Nrs. 3 and 4: 7,500
Nrs. 5 to 8: 3500
Nrs. 9 up to 16: 1500
Nrs. 17 to 32: 750 euro.
Ladies' prize money:
Winner 75,000 Euros
Runner-up: 15,000
Nrs. 3/4: 5,250
Nrs. 5/8: 1500
Nrs. 9/16: 750.
Triple winner Mi-rae Lee in the ladies PBA events