“I did it, and I hope many people will try it.”
Lim Hye-won (27), a ‘self-taught’ powerhouse of the LPBA, was cheerful even after losing the final.
“I can sleep better now,” she laughed, despite the disappointment of missing out on the title.
She has every reason to be proud of herself for reaching the summit two years after her debut, and all alone.
Japan’s Ayako Sakai (Hanacard) was the winner of the 2023-2024 PBA-LPBA 7th Tour Haiwon Resort Championship held at the Grand Ballroom of Haiwon Resort in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do on Monday.
But the Korean women’s professional billiards scene will remember the runner-up, Lim Hye-won, as its hero.
Lim, who made her professional debut last season, literally came from nowhere.
She fell in love with billiards while playing pool at the age of 20, moving on to four-ball and then three-cushion four or five years ago.
Her best professional result was 17th place in the Haiwon Resort tournament last season, and this is her first time reaching the final.
In today’s final (best-of-seven), he won the first set and raised expectations, but stopped at the threshold of the top by losing sets 2-5.
In terms of success rate per cue, Avery (0.532) was behind Sakai (0.813). “ 온라인카지노
I felt I was lacking in fundamentals and system, and I think I need to play more delicately in the future,” he said after the match.
There is no reason to be intimidated, as he has nothing to lose.
On the contrary, the favorable final stage debut has spurred him on. “
I was so nervous that I made mistakes in ball thickness and speed control.
I was shaking a lot when the match was broadcast.
But next time, I won’t play like I did today,” he vowed.
Lim’s surprise appearance highlights the reality and promise of women’s professional billiards in Korea.
Currently, there are about 160 female professional billiards players.
Many of them didn’t start their professional careers at a young age, but, like Lim, discovered the game as an adult and entered the professional leagues.
Choi Hye-mi (Welcome Savings Bank), who won the last tournament, is also a late bloomer.
She grew up working “part-time” at a pool hall, playing against customers for more than 12 hours a day, and her only formal lessons were with professional players like Lee Chung-bok (Hi One Resort).
Lim, who lives in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, doesn’t have a fixed training center.
Instead, her boyfriend, who is also an accomplished skier, is her coach and training partner. “
My friend and I would travel to different pool halls to practice,” he explains.
Aside from pool, he also works a second job at a cafe, so he wasn’t able to train enough for the tournament.
Nevertheless, with the competitive spirit of a poisonous weed honed in the field, she defeated top stars such as Song Piavi (Blue One Resort), Higashiuchi Natsumi (Welcome Savings Bank), and Kim Bomi (Nonghyup Card) in the
tournament. “
There’s not a lot of female professional players yet,” Lim said.
I think everyone can be hopeful because a player like me made it to the final,” she said.
This time, he got lucky. “
It’s clear that I still have a lot to learn on the professional stage and there is a big gap between me and the top players.
I also had a lot of luck this time,” he admits.
However, he emphasized that “the professional stage is not only for the highly ranked players.”
This confidence is the biggest reward of all. “
