SEOUL - The PBA league in Korea has discovered a new billiard star. 17-year-old Young-won Kim won this year's 6th Tour this Tuesday in the final against Tae-jun Oh, after beating David Martinez in the semi-finals. Young-won Kim first started in billiards six years ago. He is now considered the big talent in the PBA ranks. Two years and seven months ago he signed up with the PBA, already he has left behind all the greats in the PBA league.
The youngest champion so far in the PBA was Ye-eun Kim in the women's league at 20 years and 11 months.
Young-won Kim defeated David Martinez in the semi-finals 4-2 (15-14, 15-2, 13-15, 15-11, 0-15, 15-12) with an average 1.521 against 1.468 for the Spaniard. In the final, Young-won Kim was too strong for Tae-jun Oh by 4-1 (15-13, 15-5, 7-15, 15-12, 15-8). The winner's average in the final: 1.595.
Adding the prize money of KRW 100 million (€70,000) to his season earnings, YWK is now in 3rd place with 141 million (almost €100,000) following Dong-koong Kang (276 million) and David Martinez (226 million).
Young-won Kim showed up in a shorty interview with PBA reporter after the final.
YWK: ’’I decided to aspire to a professional career when I first saw PBA Tour matches and players on TV in early 2019. That was a few days after I was taken by my father to his club where carom billiards is played.‘’
‘’I showed no tears of happiness in my eyes after I made the championship point. It was sweat. Yes, I did cry after losing to Dong-Koong Kang in the final of the first Tour earlier this year.’’
‘’I didn’t cry because of the loss, but because I thought about all the hard work and many hours I had put into training, without taking a single day off.‘’
‘’I never thought about how I will spend the big money I made at 17 years. But I spoke with my father about getting my own training room if I could afford it.‘’
‘’My next goal is hopefully to win a second, third and more PBA championships. Of course, I know I have to keep training and improving to make that happen.‘’
Young-won Kim with the runner-up Tae-jun Oh