“Thank you to my wife for always believing in me. I was in tears.”
Jae-ho Jo (NH Nonghyup Card), the strongest player in professional billiards, played ‘best friend’ Kang Dong-gung in the 2022-2023 PBA-LPBA 8th Tour Crown Haitai Championship final held at the Bitmaru Broadcasting Center in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 8th. (SK Rent-A-Car) 4-1 (15:2/9:15/15:12/15:13/15:14) and climbed to the top. He won 2 wins in his second season, and won 100 million won in prize money. He also confirmed the No. 1 ranking for the season.
After the game, when his wife in the stands showed tears, Jo Jae-ho expressed deep affection by shouting, “Thank you for marrying me.” With dew on his eyes, he said in a phone call on the 9th, “I think I was able to win thanks to her wife’s internal support.”
After winning the first set, Cho Jae-ho pressed his opponent down 3 to 5 sets to win. Jo Jae-ho, the wife of the audience, clapped and cheered every time they hit.
Jo Jae-ho said, “Her wife said that her body stiffened when she watched my game in the past, and she didn’t come (to the stadium) for 7-8 years. However, when she came to watch the team league, she said that it was fun, and from the previous tour, she has been cheering on the individual competition. She really gives her a lot of strength,” 안전놀이터he said.
However, her daughter, who is in her second year of middle school, still does not come to the arena where the individual exhibition is held. Jo Jae-ho said, “Her daughter resembles me, so she has a strong desire to win. Unlike the team league, she says she won’t be able to see the individual competition because she’s nervous. She and her daughter watched the final from her home.”
What would the wife, who has been with her husband who plays billiards since their dating days, say to Jo Jae-ho? Jo Jae-ho said, “Her wife doesn’t know how to play billiards. It’s just that she can see the road and knows me exactly. That’s why I have the ability to know by feeling whether I will win or lose just by looking at what I hit,” he laughed.
In fact, in the final match, Jo Jae-ho’s wife energized her husband with a bright smile as if she had predicted her outcome. Jo Jae-ho introduced, “Regardless of the technicalities, my wife makes me feel comfortable.”
Jo Jae-ho, who confirmed his position at the top of the country with the victory that day, tied for first place (2 wins) in the most wins category with Kang Dong-gung. After the team league playoffs are over next week, the World Championship will be held in early March, where only the top 32 players in the season rankings compete. Jo Jae-ho is aiming for the world championship with the highest prize money in his pocket.
Cho Jae-ho, who entered the pro relatively late and has now perfectly adapted, said, “Even when I came to the pro, his wife fully supported my choice. Her wife has no doubts about me. I was able to win the championship because of that belief,” he promised, “I will prepare and practice more toward the top of the World Championship.”