3-Cushion
SEOUL - The 39-year-old Korean Min-gu Kang finally got his first win in a PBA tournament. He was awarded the 73,000 euros for the winner. With four losses in a PBA final in his first two years, Min-gu Kang now totals 220,000 euros in earnings. Kang defeated 41-year-old Dinh Nai Ngo from Vietnam 4-2 (14-15, 15-6, 2-15, 15-7, 15-0, 15-5, 1,949 on average for the winner, 1,500 for the runner-up) in the final. Jung-suk Lim won her 5th LPBA women's tournament.Min-gu Kang was one of the star players in the first two years of PBA, but could not claim the top prize once in four finals. Twice he was defeated by Filippos Kasidokostas, once by Frédéric Caudron and once by Javier Palazon. In his fifth final, he hit the bull's eye and defeated Vietnamese Ding Nai Ngo. The eventual winner played two long matches on the final day. Kang made 76 points against Ngo in the final and 74 in the semifinals against Jae-ho Cho, a total of 150 points on the final day.
The Korean was the 16th winner overall during four seasons of PBA, playing his 101st game. Vietnamese Ngo, who finished second, fell just short of becoming the second Vietnamese winner after Minh Cam Ma in this season.
The tournament, named for Welcome Savings Bank as sponsor, ran into an Asian finish for the first time with six Koreans and two Vietnamese in the last eight. Min-gu Kang and Jae-ho Cho were the best-known players among the Koreans, Ninh Nai Ngo and Minh Cam Ma the best-known Vietnamese with a UMB past.
Min-gu Kang, who ended the final with a shout of joy, said at the ceremony that he never despaired after the four lost finals. He did say he was happy to finally be back after two poor years. ''I was more frustrated from that long slump,'' he said tearfully. ''I finally got the mokey off me back.''
Of the Europeans in the PBA cycle, Andres Carrion, a young Spaniard, was the last to be eliminated. At the last 16, he lost to Sung-ho Kang 3-2. Turk Birol Uymaz disappeared from the stage in the last 32 by losing 3-2 to the later winner Min-gu Kang. Spaniards Zapata and Martinez and Belgians Caudron and Leppens lost in the earlier stage of the tournament.
Jung-suk Lim won her fifth title in the women's event by defeating Ye-eun Kim (24) in the final 4-1. Like Ga-young Kim, Jung-suk Lim now holds the record of 5 wins, 1 more than Mi-rae Lee. The five-time winner has now earned 140,000 total with the 15,000 from this tournament victory.
Ye-eun Kim lost her second final in a row, after beating Bo-mi Kim 3-2 in the semi finals. Jung-suk Lim defeated Gap-sun Kim 3-1 in the semifinals. In the final, won 4-1 by Jung-suk Lim, the winner played 1.000 on average, the runner-up 0.660.
Orie Hida, the former world champion, was eliminated in the last 16, Sruong Pheavy, another star player, lost to Ye-eun Kim.
The next, 8th PBA/LPBA tournament is scheduled for Feb. 1-8.
Min-gu Kang (right) the final winner with the runner-up Dinh Nai Ngo
Five times ladies winner Jung Suk Lim