Hohmann outlasts Souquet to win PH Open Pool championship

MANILA, Philippines — For Germany’s Thorsten Hohmann, if his stint in the Philippine Open Pool championship was not meant to be, then he wouldn’t know what is.

A mere last-minute addition to the star studded 10-ball event, Hohmann outlasted compatriot Ralf Souquet in a strategic hill-hill conquest, 11-10, to seize the PH Open pool title Monday at the Megatrade Hall at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong.

A series of poor shots nearly doomed the 31-year-old in the 18th and 19th rack, but a sorry miss by Souquet in the ensuing rack opened the door anew for Hohmann.

Bucking overwhelming nerves in the last rack, Hohmann made no further mistake as he broke and ran out to his first victory on Philippine soil.

“Everything came together in the end,” said Hohmann, dubbed as the Hitman.

Hohmann, now based in Jacksonville in the US, nearly missed the competition because of scheduling conflicts. When someone called in sick from the original list of participants, he was given the slot.

“Three hours later, I was in a plane to Philippines and here I am,” expressed Hohman, who arrived midnight in Manila before the start of the tournament.

“It’s a dream come true [to win here],” he added.

Souquet, who has been knocking on the Philippine Pool Open’s door for countless times, missed another chance at winning a title in the country.

But the former world number one did not go down without a fight as he clawed back from 0-3 hole to take his first lead at 10-1.

A poor cut by Hohmann on the one ball in the 19th rack gave Souquet a chance of going home with the victory but six dry breaks hampered his run, until his crucial miss on the blue ball on the 20th rack.

Unlike Souquet, Hohmann had to go through two straight hill-hill matches, against giant killer Carlo Biado in the last eight and against Wu Haitao in the semis, before reaching the finals.

Souquet coolly rolled to the finals after a rare 9-0 shutout of world number two Antonio Lining earlier Monday.

Lining, the last Filipino standing, only had four chances in that match.