'19-Year-Old Billiards Prodigy' Kim Young-won, One Win Away from Breaking '500 Million Won Prize Money'... Opponent is 'Vietnam's Pride' Ngo Dinh Nai [Jeongseon Field Report]

*This content was translated by AI.

'World Champion' Kim Young-won (19, Harim) steps onto the finals stage once again. Facing the goal of surpassing 500 million won in cumulative prize money and reaching the No. 5 ranking, he will meet Vietnam's pride, Ngo Dinh Nai (Hyumonsoo).

On the 11th, Kim Young-won defeated Shin Jeong-ju (Hana Card) with a set score of 4-1 (15-10, 15-13, 14-15, 15-5, 15-12) in the PBA semifinals of the Professional Billiards 2026-2027 Season 2nd Tour 'National Happiness Rest Area High1 Resort PBA-LPBA Championship' held at the Grand Hotel Convention Tower, High1 Resort, Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do.

If he achieves this victory, he will become the sixth player to surpass 500 million won in cumulative prize money, adding to his career total of four wins. He could also rise to fifth place in the prize money ranking (excluding Kudrong).

Kim Young-won, who enjoyed his first championship thrill in the 2024-2025 season, has built momentum with two titles, including last season's King of Kings PBA World Championship.

Although he was eliminated in the Round of 32 at the season opener, he has now set out to restore his pride in this tournament. Starting with a 3-0 victory over Kim Jeong-hoon2 in the Round of 128, Kim Young-won secured shutout wins against Kim Ki-hyuk in the Round of 64 and Kim Hyun-woo1 in the Round of 32.

In the Round of 16, he defeated two-time champion Eddie LePons (High1 Resort) with a 3-1 comeback victory. In the quarterfinals, he faced Eom Sang-pil (Woori Financial Capital) and secured another 3-2 comeback victory after a closely contested full-set battle. While the match was tight, Kim Young-won's performance drew admiration. His average reached an impressive 2.591.

He continued his momentum in the semifinals against Shin Jeong-ju. Although he narrowly lost the third set 14-15, he secured the remaining sets to advance to the finals.

However, the opponent he faces ahead of his fourth title is by no means easy to handle. Ngo Dinh Nai, who joined the PBA Tour in the 2020-2021 season, has only achieved one runner-up finish but is recognized for his top-tier skills. He has reached the finals stage for the first time in 3 years and 5 months since the January 2023 Welcome Savings Bank Welbang PBA Championship.

The Round of 128 was his biggest crisis. Trailing 0-2 against Ma Won-hee, he succeeded in a reverse sweep to win 3-2, clearing the first hurdle. Ngo then defeated Im Wan-seop and Yoon Yong-je both 3-1, and in the Round of 16, he beat Kim Byung-seop 3-0.

His performance grew stronger as the tournament progressed. After averaging just 1.058 in the Round of 128, Ngo maintained an average in the mid-1s, but in the quarterfinals, he recorded an average of 2.318 against Kang Min-gu (Woori Financial Capital) to secure a 3-1 victory.

He was even more formidable in the semifinals, delivering an overwhelming victory against Kim Jun-tae (Harim). Starting the first set with a 15-6 lead, Ngo dominated the second set with a 10-point high run, taking the set 15-0 in just three innings. In the third set, although Kim Jun-tae initially took the momentum by scoring seven points from the opening break, Ngo immediately responded with a seven-point run in his first inning as the second player, then added four more points in the second inning to regain control. He continued to add points in every inning, leading 3-0 in just five innings. Winning the fourth set 15-7, Ngo now faces his first career title challenge.

He recorded a 3.000 average in the semifinals, rising to first place in the Welcome Top Ranking.

The finals will be held in a best-of-seven format starting at 10:30 PM. The championship prize is 100 million won.

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*This content was translated by AI.