3-Cushion
GURI - The colorful field of sixteen winners was led by Chang Hoon Seo, a relatively unknown Korean, with three Nguyens and one Dustin Jäschke in his footsteps. Three players entered the main draw at the World Cup in Guri with averages over two: the Korean in front, Lütfi Cenet and Nikos Polychronopoulos. Seven players achieved the maximum points, four players qualified on top of their group and one win. The three runners-up were all three Spanish speaking: Dani Sánchez, showing the best average of all (2,333), Jose Juan Garcia and Antonio Montes. Cong Thanh Nguyen was a striking group winner with 0,919 on average.
Seo Chang Hoon, who shone with two high runs of 13, is a relatively new star in Korean billiards, although he is 38 years of age. He has his own billiard club, Kyungki Do, and started his World Cups adventures three years ago. Dani Sánchez, one of his major sponsors, was his opponent today, after the Spaniard excelled in his first match with 40 points in 10 innings. Hoon, a sympathetic bachelor, controlled the match against the four-time world champion and gloried after 31-10 winning 40-30 in 20 innings.
27-year-old German Dustin Jäschke was very pleased to enjoy his qualification, for the second time he reached a main tournament in a World Cup. ''I was lucky the first time in Blankenberge as the best runner-up and now after a stroke of luck again. I lost my first game to a fantastic Therese Klompenhouwer, who finished by eleven, leaving me very nervous. Then I succeeded to beat Dong Hoon Kim myself in a great match and the Korean outplayed Therese, givig me the best average. I am very happy of course." In the main tournament, Jäschke, who once was German Master in 2015, will meet the brand new German champion Martin Horn.
Lütfi Cenet, on the threshold of the top 14 after his final place in Veghel, made another excellent impression with victories over Turgay Orak in 17 innings (40-30) and Bong Chul Kim scoring 40-23 in 21. Nikos Polychronopoulos delivered a high-fight match with Jose Juan Garcia, in which both recorded around two on average and the Greek watched his opponent stumbling one point away from the finish: 40-39 in 20.
Nguyen Quoc Nguyen eliminated both Gökhan Salman and Gregory Le Deventec, Jun-Tae Kim, one of the best young Koreans, was the better of Roland Forthomme and Carlos Campino. Dion Nelin was again among the best 32, where Duc Anh Chien Nguyen, one of the coming men from Vietnam, Dinh Nai Ngo and Xuan Cuong Ma are missing. Therese Klompenhouwer was close to the last qualification, but had a lesser match against Dong Hoon Kim after the shiny win over Dustin Jäschke.
The sequel, with 32 players in eight groups of four, shows a spectacular series of matches. The most striking groups bring Jae-Ho Cho, HaengJik Kim and Jun-Tae Kim to the table and Dani Sánchez, Torbjörn Blomdahl and Tayfun Tasdemir together in one group.
The day winners on Thursday:
1 Chang Hoon Seo 4-2,285-13
2 Lütfi Cenet 4-2,103-8
3 Nikos Polychronopoulos 4-2,051-11
4 Nguyen Quoc Nguyen 4-1,818-11
5 Jun-Tae Kim 4-1,777-9
6 Dion Nelin 4-1,702-7
7 Sung-Won Choi 4-1,509-9
8 Cong Thanh Nguyen 3-0,919-5
9 Duy Trong Nguyen 2-1,719-10
10 Can Capak 2-1,666-7
11 Yusuke Mori 2-1,181-5
12 Dustin Jäschke 2-1,469-13
Best runners-up:
1 Dani Sánchez 2-2,333-11
2 Jose Juan Garcia 2-1,975-8
3 Antonio Montes 2-1,897-8.
Wan Young Choi was eliminated with the best day-ru of 15.
The group format for the main draw:
Poule A: Dick Jaspers, Antonio Montes, Lütfi Cenet, Pedro Gonzalez
Poule B: Marco Zanetti, Chang Hoon Seo, Myung Woo Cho, Jose Juan Garcia
Poule C: Tayfun Tasdemir, Dani Sánchez, Torbjörn Blomdahl, Jung Pyo Hong
Poule D: Semih Sayginer, Yusuke Mori, Jung Han Heo, Nikos Polychronopoulos
Poule E: Eddy Merckx, Nguyen Quoc Nguyen, Martin Horn, Dustin Jäschke
Poule F: Jae-Ho Cho, Can Capak, HaengJik Kim, JunTae Kim
Poule G: Quyet Chien Tran, Jérémy Bury, Dion Nelin, Duy Trung Nguyen
Poule H: Sameh Sidhom, Cong Thanh Nguyen, Murat Naci Coklu, Sung-Won Choi.
Chang Hoo Seo, 38 year old Korean, who beat Dani Sánchez
Lütfi Cenet on his way up again after the final in Veghel
Nikos Polychronopoulos, winner on one point and with Garcia in the final 32
Danish fighter Dion Nelin, facing Bury, Tran and Choi in his next rounds
Dani Sánchez, best on average of all players in last qualification