Jo Geon-hwi beats David Martinez for second win of PBA season, fourth career title

Rallies to win final 4-3, avenging earlier loss to Martinez

Leads season prize money standings: 'Billiards is so much fun these days'

Jo Geon-hwi pumps his fist in celebration after defeating David Martinez in the final of the NH NongHyup Card PBA Championship at Kintex PBA Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday.

Jo Geon-hwi of Welcome Savings Bank defeated David Martinez of Spain (Crown Haitai) to claim his second title of the season in the Professional Billiards Association tour.

Jo beat Martinez 4-3 in sets in the final of the fifth tour event of the 2026-2027 season — the NH NongHyup Card PBA Championship — held Monday at Kintex PBA Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

The victory, coming five months after his season opener win in May, gave Jo his fourth career title and lifted him into a three-way tie for third on the all-time PBA wins list alongside Kang Dong-gung and Kim Young-won.

The 100 million won ($75,500) winner's check pushed Jo's season prize money to 216 million won, keeping him atop the season earnings standings. His career prize money rose to 611.5 million won, surpassing Kim Young-won (583.5 million won) to move him to sixth on the all-time list.

Jo dropped the opening set 7-15 but staged a comeback in the second. Leading 13-8, he conceded six consecutive points to fall behind 13-14, then sank a two-point bank shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 15-14. He took the third set 15-6 before losing the fourth 4-15 after Martinez posted a high run of 11.

Jo bounced back with a 15-4 win in the fifth set, posting a high run of seven, before dropping the sixth 7-15. In the deciding seventh set, Jo led 8-6 through four innings. After both players went scoreless for two consecutive innings, Jo converted the remaining three points in the seventh inning to seal an 11-6 victory and the championship.

Jo Geon-hwi holds up four fingers to celebrate his fourth career PBA title.

The win also served as payback for Jo, who had lost to Martinez 2-4 in the semifinals of the previous tour event. He avenged that defeat two weeks later on the final stage.

Martinez finished runner-up for the second consecutive tournament. His bid for a ninth career title fell short, leaving him unable to break the all-time PBA wins record of eight that he shares with Belgium's Frederic Caudron.

"I feel like the consistent work I have put in for more than five years is finally paying off," Jo said after the victory. "Billiards is so much fun these days."

yjc@heraldcorp.com