Takenaka and Kim Victorious in Brunswick Korea International Championships

Takenaka and Kim Victorious in Brunswick Korea International Championships Hiroshi Takenaka of Japan took home the championship for the men’s division at the DP Seoul Open, while Ga Young Kim of Korea captured the women’s title. Last year, Takenaka’s trip to Korea didn’t see him make it to the final day of the Brunswick Korea International Championships, and Kim lost in the semi finals at that same event. Day 3 had its share of upsets. The 2004 number-one Asian ranked Young Hwa Jeong lost to number-three ranked Hong Kyun Kim and then was knocked out by Myung Jun Go. Shuji Nagata defeated Ralf Souquet 9-5, and Max Eberle lost to Korea's number-two player Shin Young Park 9-2. Defending champion Charlie Williams defeated Japan's Masashi Hoshi 9-0 in under 30 minutes, while Thorsten Hohmann demolished Takenaka 9-3. Souquet than survived a thriller against U.S. Army local John Powers (who is a student of Young Hwa Jeong) 9-8. Powers trailed Souquet 6-3 then turned around to have Souquet 8-7 and hung an easy 7 ball to win the match. Brunswick Korean International Championships Image Gallery
The final day brought back Souquet, Hohmann, Eberle, Takenaka, Nagata, Williams, Kim Woongdae, and Park Shin Young for the men, and on the women’s side, Koreans Sung Hyun Jung and Ga Young Kim against Van Jui Fang of Taiwan and Noriyo Hayashi of Japan. Six matches were taped for SBS. Williams’ hopes of defending his title fell short as Souquet eliminated him 9-7. Hohmann knocked out Nagata, while Takenaka took out Park on TV. Ga Young Kim squeezed past Hayashi 6-5, while Jung won over Fang 6-4. Kim went on to defeat Jung in an all-Korean final match 6-4. The surprise of the event was Korea's Woongdae Kim, who knocked out Japan's Hoshi, then went on to win against Eberle (USA) on TV. Trailing 4-0 in the alternate-breaks format against Hohmann, he then came back with some magnificent shots to win 7-6 and make it to the finals. In the finals, the match went back and forth until Takenaka took the lead 6-4. But the determined Korean came back with the support of the fans 6-6. It was a classic perfect ending to a rivalry between Korea and Japan. Kim broke hard, but the cue ball was kissed in at an awkward angle into the side, leaving Takenaka an easy combo on the 9 ball. Takenaka leapt out of his chair, throwing his hands up in elation, and with a smile he pocketed the combo to win the Second Annual Dragon Promotions Seoul Open. The Seoul Open is part of the Brunswick KPT (Korea Pro Pool Tour) and is a point ranking event. The KPT will have a bonus prize fund for rankings for the top ten men and the top five women at the end of 2005. The KPT number-one ranked man and woman and the KPT Rookie of the Year get free entry fees at every event. Visit InsidePOOL for the latest from the Brunswick Korean Pro Tour.

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