‘Ho Chi Minh 3 Cushion World Cup 2023’ Final Qualification (Q) ends
Seeded Kim Hang-jik Choi Sung-woo Heo Jung-jeong Jun-tae included
‘Host nation’ Vietnam is also ‘strong’ with 7 players advancing to the main draw including Tran.
Group E Kim Haeng-Jik Heo Jung Dong-Ryong Group C Kim Jun-Tae Hwang Bong-Joo Clash
With Cha Myung-jong An Ji-hoon Hwang Bong-joo Kim Dong-hoon Kim Dong-ryong passing the final qualifying round (Q), nine Korean players, including the seeded players (Kim Haeng-jik Choi Sung-woo Heo Jung-jeong and Kim Jun-tae), made it to the round of 32. Vietnam, the host country, also had seven players make it to the round of 32, continuing the dominance of the ‘Asian billiards powerhouses’ Korea and Vietnam.
The final qualifiers for the ‘Ho Chi Minh 3 Cushion World Cup 2023’ concluded at Nguyen Du Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Friday night (KST), and the main draw for the Round of 32 has been finalized.
With nine Korean players in the main draw, there will be competition for Korean players everywhere.
In Group E, Kim Hang-jik, Heo Jung-haeng, Kim Dong-ryong, and Dowling Truong Hau will face each other, while in Group C, Kim Jun-tae and Hwang Bong-joo will face Marco Zanetti and Tran Thanh Luck. Choi Sung-woo faces Jeremy Beauly and Robinson Morales in Group H, while Cha Myung-jong meets Eddie Mook and Martin Horne in Group D. In Group F, Ahn Ji-hoon will face Sameh Sidom and Nikos Polychronopoulos, while Kim Dong-hoon will take on Typhoon Tasdemir and Wing Deok An-chien. World No. 1 Dick Yasper will take on Messiour Abutaye in Group A, while Thorbjorn Bromdahl will face Tranquietien and Dion Nelin in Group G for a spot in the Round of 16.
Cha Myung-jong and Ahn Ji-hoon advance after finishing first in the Averaged Tea and Hwang Bong-joo and Kim Dong-hoon in Group 2.
Of the eight Korean players who competed in the final qualifier, five punched their ticket to the main event. Four of them were even lucky enough to reach the round of 32 with just one win.
Cha Myung-jong lost to Arnim Kahofer (Austria) in Group E, but rebounded to beat Tran Duc Minh (Vietnam). Tran Duc Minh’s win over Kahofer made all three players 1-1. Cha Myung-jong topped his group with the highest average (1.666-1.500-1.262).
Ahn Ji-hoon was also tied with Kim Dong-hoon and Michael Nielsen (SWE) in Group D with a 1-1 record, but had the highest average (1.777-1.682-1.666). Kim finished second in his group, but qualified second overall. (In the final qualifier, the top 12 players from Group 1 and the top 3 players from Group 2 will advance to the Round of 32)
In Group K, Hwang Bong Joo tied with Bao Phuong Binh (VN) at 1-1 after winning 40:39 (29 innings) on match day. Hwang fell to second in the group behind Avery (1.600-1.355), but qualified for the main draw as the top seed in Group 2.
Coming up from the second round of qualification (PPQ), Kim Dong-ryong (KOR) qualified with two wins in Group C, defeating Nobuyasu Sakai (JPN) and Murat Nasi Choklu (TUR).
Seo Chang-hoon (KOR) and Jung Seung-il (KOR) finished third in their respective groups.
Group D Cha Myung-jong Moks Martin Hon, Group F Ahn Ji-hoon Sidom Nikos
Yasper Abutaye, Group A Bromdal Tran, Group G Choong Woo Bury, Group H
Group E Kim Hang-Jik Heo Jung Dong-Ryong, Group H Choi Sung-Woo Bury, Group C Janetty Kim Jun-Tae Hwang Bong-Joo
The main draw for the Round of 32 will begin on June 26 at 12:00 p.m. KST. It will be a four-player pool league, with the top two from each group advancing to the Round of 16.
In Group E, the Korean trio of Kim Hang Jik (5th in the world) and Heo Jung Han (12th) will face Dowling Trung Hau, while in Group H, last December’s Sharm el-Sheikh 3-Cushion World Cup winner Choi Sung Woo (8th) will take on Jeremy Boury (9th, France).
In Group C, Kim Jun-tae (14th) and Hwang Bong-joo (14th) will face ‘World No. 3’ Marco Zanetti (Italy), while in Group D, Cha Myung-jong (4th) will face Eddie Mucks (Belgium), Martin Horn (13th) and Tai Hong Chiem (Vietnam).토토사이트
Ahn Ji-hoon will face Sameh Sidom (6th, Egypt), Nikos Polychronopoulos (11th, Greece) and Rufi Chenet (Turkiye) in Pool F, while Kim Dong-hoon will take on ‘World No. 2’ Typhoon Tasdemir (Turkiye) and Wing Duc Anh Chien (Vietnam) in Pool B.
World No. 1 Dick Jaspers (Netherlands) will face Messaoui Abu Tayeh (Jordan) in Group A, while No. 7 Tovjon Bromdahl (Sweden) will play Tran Quyet Chien (Vietnam) and Dion Nelin (Denmark) in Group G for a spot in the round of 16.