Taiwanese pool legend Ko Pin-yi on Tuesday captured the CTPBA Pro Tour Grand Finals title, rallying for a 13-12 comeback victory over 18-year-old Filipino Albert James Manas.
Facing an opponent half his age, 36-year-old Ko put together a decisive 5-0 run to close out the match after trailing 8-12. Ko outlasted 23 other competitors in the two-day invitational in Taipei, earning the top prize of NT$200,000.
“Fortune was on my side,” Ko said after the match.
Photo: CNA
He made history in 2015 as the first player to win the World 10-Ball Championship, the World 9-Ball Championship and the World Cup of Pool titles in a single calendar year.
In 2023, he further cemented his legacy as the first Taiwanese player to win the World Pool Masters.
Tuesday’s final was a grueling uphill battle for Ko, who trailed for most of the match. He dropped the first three racks before leveling the score, only to fall behind again at 4-8 and later 8-12.
“It was definitely a bit lucky to win today because I was a little restless in the early racks,” he said.
He was full of praise for Manas, who, like Ko, reached the final following an 11-3 semi-final victory.
“He has a great mindset and remained relaxed, making the game look easy. He reminds me of the top European players,” Ko said.
The CTPBA Pro Tour Grand Finals featured 17 Taiwanese players and seven international competitors. The field was divided into four groups of six, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
Hsieh Chia-chen and Ko Ping-han — Ko Pin-yi’s younger brother — finished joint third.
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