Cambodian tops national three-cushion tournament again

Sruong Pheavy holds a plaque and prize money award after winning the 2019 KBF Super Cup Three Cushion Tournament at Seoul Olympic Parktel in Songpa District, June 8. Courtesy of Billking Korea

By Ko Dong-hwan

Sruong Pheavy eyes cue balls during a final match of the 2019 KBF Super Cup Three Cushion Tournament at Seoul Olympic Parktel in Songpa District, June 8. Courtesy of Billking Korea

Cambodian three-cushion player in Korea, Sruong Pheavy, won the women's section of the latest national three-cushion tournament, cementing her reputation as a marriage migrant-turned-carom specialist.

She won the 2019 KBF Super Cup Three Cushion Tournament, hosted by the Korea Billiards Federation, at Seoul Olympic Parktel in the Songpa District. The championship match was played on June 8.

Pheavy, 30, No.1 among female professionals in the country, was the only foreigner in the tournament. In this year's first KBF-hosted tournament, she beat sixth ranker Yong Hyun-ji 25-9 in 16 innings. She took home 4 million won ($3,400) prize money.

Sponsored by Korean billiard custom cue brand Billking Korea, Pheavy last year won three national championship trophies, earning her the nickname “three cushion queen.”

She also holds titles in international rounds, including the 2018 ZANCA-Championship Asia 3-Cushion Open and third place at the World Championship 3-Cushion Billiards in Izmir, Turkey, the same year.

Coming to Korea in 2010 as the fiancee of a Korean man 28 years older than herself, the Cambodian is allowed by the KBF to compete in national tournaments because of her marriage status registered here.

Her critical role in founding the Cambodian Billiard and Snooker Federation in 2018 under the Asian Carom Billiard Confederation is another reason the Korean authority accepted her.