Karen Corr

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Karen Corr (1969, Northern Ireland, nickname: The Irish Invader) is currently ranked the number 2 woman pool player in the world by the WPBA.

She began her career in snooker at the age of 14 and won her first Ladies Snooker Championship in England, when she was 15 years old. She moved to US in 1998, winning her first WPBA Classic Tour title in 2000. By the end of 2001, she was ranked as the number 1 player.

Karen was born Nov. 10th, 1969 in Ballymoney, N. Ireland and lived near Maghera Co. Derry. At the age of 8, her parents moved to England where she eventually joined a club and began her career in snooker at the age of 14.

Karen was 15 when she entered her first woman's event in Leicester, England. On the day after her 21st birthday, in 1990, she won her first World Snooker Championship. Karen continued on to win additional World titles in '91, '95, and '97.

The Ladies Snooker prize funds were never large enough for Karen to support herself financially. She was forced to work various jobs, including bartending, to enable herself to continue to play professionally. In 1997, she was invited to play in an exhibition tour throughout Australia and New Zealand with her friend, and fellow pro, Julie Kelly. While on that tour, Julie told her about this great tour happening in the U.S., and that she was going to play. Karen then decided to go also, but only during the snooker off-season.

In June of 1998, Karen moved to the U.S. and began playing pool. She was curious to see how she would do at pool. After winning 10 qualifying events in a row, she was able to enter WPBA pro events.

While in America, Karen and Julie lived with Julie's sisters in New Jersey, and then in Boston for a time, before finally settling in northeast Philadelphia.

Karen won her first WPBA Classic Tour title, "The 2000 Cuetec Cues Players Championship" in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. She completed that year with two more Classic tour titles. She also won the "All Japan Open Championship" held in Osaka, Japan. She placed second in the "WPA Women's World Championship" and in the "UCC World Ladies Championship" held in Tokyo, Japan.

By the end of 1998, Karen was ranked 24. At the end of 1999, she soared through the rankings, all the way to #4. By the end of 2000, she was ranked 2nd in the world. But, 2002 proved to be her best year of all.

Karen became the first person to win all 6 Classic tour events since they began. She won the silver medal at the World Games and placed 2nd at the World Championships. Before 2001 ended, Karen found herself at the top, the #1 ranked player in the world and remained there for 2 years.

Karen is dedicated to the sport. On most days you'll find her at "Pete Fusco's Family Recreation Center" in Feasterville, PA. Here she works with her coach, "World's All-round Champion", Pete Fusco, learning more and more about the game.