As Noppadon put in another fine performance to beat defending champion Dechawat Poomjang 5-2 in front of a flooding crowd, he was richer by 115,000 baht and also assured that he would retain his place at the top of the Thailand professional rankings when 2009 season ends later this month.
Besides taking home the winner's purse of 100,000 baht, Noppadon also pocketed another 15,000 baht for scoring a clearance of 142 points, the highest break of the tournament, on August 6.
Noppadon, a former Asian and world amateur champion who captured the fourth ranking event in Nakhon Ratchasima on July 24, now enjoys a massive 5,000 points lead over his closest rival Thepchaiya Un-nooh, who is away playing on the world professional circuit in the United Kingdom.
Noppadon made his intentions clear from the word go and the massive army of local snooker fans witnessed another shot his brilliance, a riveting clearance of 138 points that drained all confidence out of his rival.
Dechawat showed his customary stubbornness to level the score by grabbing the second, but Noppadon hit back with another fine run of 82 points in the third to regain his edge.
Dechawat's only claim to glory came in the fourth frame in the form of a 60 point -- a paltry aggregate considering the high standards set by Noppadon in showdown.
An avalanche of breaks followed as Noppadon scored breaks of 98, 69 and 58 to run rings around his opponent and walk away with the glittering trophy.
Dechawat, who also a memorable run in the tournament, was rewarded with a cash prize of 50,000 baht.
The next event, the SangSom Nong Khai Cup, is the Thailand National Championship which will take place on August 19-23 at the Provincial Administration Organisation Hall in Nong Khai. |
