Benzey confidence boost ahead of Q School
CONNOR Benzey received a major confidence boost ahead of next week’s Q School by winning the sixth leg of the Cuestars Championship Tour in south London.
The 20-year-old from Eastleigh pocketed £250 in prize money after beating world number 100 Jamie Wilson (Havant) 3-0 in the final at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon.
Benzey, the new rankings leader, won many tight frames – sometimes clearing up from 50-plus points behind.
The high-quality field of 34 produced three centuries and a staggering 35 breaks of 50 or more.
Wayne Townsend (Northolt) made the day’s highest of 125 in his 3-1 last-16 victory over Jack Dady (Basingstoke). In the same round, Matt Ford (Bracknell) fired in a 118 in his 3-0 success over Stephen Miles (Newbury). And Benzey added a 107 in his 3-1 quarter-final win against Labeeb Ahmed (Chessington).
A special thanks to Frames Sports Bar owner Tony Thompson for sponsoring the event and for the tremendous support he gives Cuestars. And thanks to Mason Wilson who lent a hand with the running of the tournament.
Benzey replaces Marcos Dayao (Battersea Park) at the top of the rankings ahead of the seventh and final leg on Sunday, May 29, at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth. Mickey Joyce (Basingstoke) is third.
It was great to see world number 92 Peter Devlin and women’s world number 21 Mary Talbot-Deegan making their Cuestars debuts.
Lee Whaley (London) defeated Dady 2-1 in the Plate final.
For more information about the event sponsor, go to www.facebook.com/FramesSportsBarCoulsdon.
RESULTS (BREAKS)
PRELIMS: Jake Fowler 3-2 Simon Bubb, Terry Burke (88) 3-0 Matt Simpson.
LAST-32: Fowler (53) 3-2 Marcos Dayao, Kevin Palmer 3-2 (75, 53) Mary Talbot-Deegan, Jamie Wilson 3-0 Ronnie Blake, Billy Castle (64, 60, 50) 3-0 Ronnie Sullivan, Peter Devlin 3-0 James Hawes, Aristos Pampouris 3-1 Adam Stacey, Billy West 3-0 Daniel Hall, Wayne Townsend (125) 3-1 Jack Dady, Mickey Joyce 3-2 Tom Kennedy, Evan Plummer (72) 3-1 Lee Whaley, John Donovan 3-1 Mason Wilson, Matt Ford (118, 81, 78) 3-0 Stephen Miles, Alex Greenham 3-0 Liam O’Shea, Labeeb Ahmed 3-1 Riley Ellis, James Budd 3-1 Ray Grall, Connor Benzey (59) 3-2 (68, 58, 55) Burke.
LAST-16: Dayao (68) 3-0 Palmer, J Wilson (70) 3-1 Castle, Devlin (52) 3-1 Pampouris, Townsend (59) 3-0 West, Joyce (59) 3-1 (94) Plummer, Ford 3-0 Donovan, Ahmed 3-2 Greenham, Benzey (63, 53, 50) 3-0 Budd.
QUARTER-FINALS: J Wilson (70, 70) 3-2 Dayao, Devlin (50) 3-2 Townsend, Joyce (73) 3-2 Ford, Benzey (107, 64) 3-1 Ahmed.
SEMI-FINALS (£50): J Wilson (70, 68) 3-2 Devlin, Benzey 3-2 (91) Joyce.
FINAL (£250/£100): Benzey (80, 50) 3-0 J Wilson.
PLATE RESULTS (BREAKS)
PRELIM: Whaley beat Sullivan.
LAST-16: Whaley bye, Hawes bye, Hall bye, Simpson 2-0 Bubb, Miles 2-0 M Wilson, Dady (62) 2-1 Blake, O’Shea 2-1 Grall, Stacey 2-0 Ellis.
QUARTER-FINALS: Whaley 2-0 Simpson, Hawes 2-1 Miles, Dady 2-0 O’Shea, Stacey (54) 2-0 Hall.
SEMI-FINALS: Whaley 2-0 Hawes, Dady 2-1 Stacey.
FINAL (£40/£20): Whaley 2-1 Dady.