3-Cushion
NEW YORK – Therese Klompenhouwer’s supremacy in ladies billiards has been underlined today in the Carom Cafe in New York with another major victory. The 30- year old prolongued her title in the Verhoeven open, which preceded the men’s event that will start tomorrow.
Her unbeaten status in ten rounds of play made it clear that Therese Klompenhouwer was head and shoulders the best player in this prestigious line-up. Especially on the final day, when she was up against the serious opposition, she demonstrated her class, fighting spirit and resourcefulness.
With a convincing win in the final match against Orie Hida, Klompenhouwer raised her general average to 1.012. She won most of her matches by a country mile, only the surprisingly strong Su Ah Park from Korea kept up with the champ until the home stretch.
Three time world champion Orie Hida from Japan was on equal footing with Therese for 5 innings only. Seven innings later, the gap had been made and Klompenhouwer would not be denied: a run of 5 in the 12th inning made it 16-10, and small runs of 3,1 and 5 sealed Hida’s fate to make it 25 – 16 in 17 innings.
This title is a new pearl in the Dutch top player’s crown. She won the European title this year, and was also victorious over two Japanese competitors in the Belgian Femina open. Here in New York, she showed the entire world her heels.
,,I am having a good time here’’, she let us know in-between matches. ,,It is a special tournament, I am here for the second time and it is different from other events. You put up your own score on a beaded abacus.’’
The days in New York were exhausting, twice four matches and three on the final day. ,,I am not a very good sleeper when I am abroad, so I tend to be tired’’, she said on the penultimate day.
,,We did have some time to see the sights of the city. I was most impressed by Ground Zero, which was barren last year, and is fully built up now.’’
Orie Hida was a most deserving winner of the silver, even if the seasoned Japanese was outclassed in the final.
Therese: ,,She is back. I knew right away that she would be my main competition for the title here. I spoke with her, and she never really quit the game, she just played less frequently for a few years.’’
The prize money for the top four finishers:
1: 2500 dollars
2: 1500
3: 800
4: 600
The final result:
1 Therese Klompenhouwer (Neth) 20-1.012-9
2 Orie Hida (Jap) 18-0.845-8
3 Su Ah Park (Kor) 14-0.633-5
4 Namiko Hayashi (Jap) 14-0.658-8
5 Natsumi Higashiuchi (Jap) 12-0.621-8
6 Karina Jetten (Neth) 12-0.621-8
7 Katsumi Hida (Jap) 6-0.477-5
8 Ester Park (USA) 6-0.438-6
9 Helga Mitterböck (Aus) 6-0.421-3
10 Sylvia Eckel (Neth) 4-0.404-7
11 Olivia Lee (USA) 0-0.301-5.