The illustrious list of winners of the title of 3-cushion billiards world champion has been enriched by a completely new name. Phuong Vinh Bao, until recently a totally unknown billiard player from Vietnam, grabbed the 2023 world three cushion billiard title at the tournament held in Ankara, Turkey.
In a demonstration of skill and class, Tayfun Tasdemir has won the 2022 UMB 3-cushion world title. In Donghae City, South-Korea, he defeated Ruben Legazpi in a one-sided final: 50-14 in 15/14 innings. For Turkiye, it had been a nineteen-year wait since Semih Sayginer was world champion in 2003.
Pedro Piedrabuena defeated long-time rival and former champion Miguel Torres to win his 11th USBA 3-Cushion National Championship title.
His play throughout the event was nearly perfect and included an incredible come-from-behind victory against Kang Lee in the penultimate Semi-final round.
Myung-Woo Cho captured the 2016 World 3-Cushion Junior Championship held in Hurghada, Egypt December 8-10. At age 18 his promise of a long and successful career is first being realized. Cho demonstrated his ability earlier in the year by reaching the semi-finals of the UMB World Cup in Guri, Korea where he only lost to eventual winner Jeremy Bury of France. Here is a wonderful profile of this great young Korean billiard player from Korean news site The Dong-A Ilbo.
In France, Korea’s Kim Haeng-jik fell just short of a world championship
Even though he just missed in the finals of the 2016 UMB World Championship, Haeng-Jik Kim (or Kim Haeng-Jik as is preferred in the Asian press) is still recognized as the leading player from Korea. Here is a wonderful article that appeared in the online news site Korea JoongAng Daily about his life and his future in billiards.
The Verhoeven Open Tournament, formerly the Sang Lee International Open, is the premier three cushion billiard tournament held in the United States. The event takes place each summer at Carom Cafe Billiards in Flushing, New York and attracts the very top of 3-cushion billiard talent from around the world. Originally conceived in 2005 to posthumously honor twelve-time USBA National Champion Sang Chun Lee the tournament was renamed the Verhoeven Open when the table manufacturer agreed to begin sponsoring the event in 2012. The 2019 event, consisting now of TWO International tournaments, will be held August 2-4 (Women) and August 5-11 (Open).