Two titles, 100 million won clear at top of prize rankings
Huons PBA-LPBA Championship opens Saturday
The professional billiards 2026-27 season is entering its second half, with the sixth tour event — the Huons PBA-LPBA Championship — set to open Saturday.
The Professional Billiards Association (PBA) said Monday the tournament will run from Saturday through Nov. 29, a nine-day run at the Kintex PBA Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. It comes 26 days after the conclusion of the fifth tour event, the NH NongHyup Card Championship.
In the men's PBA division, all eyes are on whether Jo Geon-hwi (Welcome Savings Bank) can extend his dominance. Jo is the only player to have won twice this season and has also reached the semifinals once, putting him atop the prize-money rankings with 216 million won ($162,000). His lead over second-place Kim Yeong-won, who has earned 111.5 million won, stands at 104.5 million won — enough that Jo would retain the top spot even if Kim wins the tournament.
Jo claimed his second title of the season at the fifth tour final, defeating David Martinez of Spain to become the first multiple winner of the campaign.
In the women's LPBA division, a run of players in their 20s has drawn attention. Starting with Park Jeong-hyeon at the third-tour SY Championship, followed by Jeong Su-bin at the fourth-tour Crown Haitai Championship and Kim Bo-mi at the fifth tour, players in their 20s have won three consecutive events.
Kim Bo-mi's victory was particularly notable: she came from behind to beat Im Jeong-suk (Crown Haitai) in the final of the last tournament, claiming her first career title seven years and four months after turning professional.
Competition for berths in the season-ending World Championship is also expected to intensify. With only three regular tour events remaining, including this one, players in both divisions are fighting to finish in the top 32 of the prize-money rankings to qualify.
On the PBA side, last season's grand prize winner Daniel Sanchez of Spain, along with Lutfi Cenet of Turkey, Mori Yusuke of Japan and Eddy Leppens of Belgium, currently sit outside the top 32. In the LPBA, Lee Woo-gyeong, Kim Min-yeong, Jang Ga-yeon and Jeong Bo-yun are also on the outside looking in.
The tournament opens Saturday at 11 a.m. with the LPBA qualifying Q round, and the opening ceremony follows Sunday at 12:30 p.m. The LPBA final is scheduled for Nov. 28 at 9:30 p.m., while the PBA final — with a first-place prize of 100 million won — takes place Nov. 29 at 8 p.m.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
