Nine-year-old wins £300
THE youngest winner of the Open Series at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club has no idea what to spend his £300 prize money on.
Nine-year-old Oliver Sykes, who impressed last season by making the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour championship final, admitted he was “very nervous” in the week leading up to the last tournament of the six-month competition.
But a little fist pump showed how “relieved” and “really happy” the classy left-hander was after potting the pink and black to beat Christopher Brown in the semi-finals to clinch top spot in the rankings.
World Snooker coach Tim Dunkley, who has worked with Sykes for 17 months since he was a beginner, said: “Oliver is the best nine-year-old I’ve ever coached.
“His progress has been phenomenal. He practises well on his own during the week, his long potting is extraordinary and his awareness around the table is something players twice his age could learn from.
“If Oliver can learn to control his frustration, he could go a long way.”
The Year 5 pupil at Fryern School in Chandler’s Ford, whose highest break in competition is 45, was actually fourth with three weeks to play but broke the back of the other title hopefuls by winning the last three finals.
He has reduced his handicap over the past six months by a remarkable 17 points, more than any other player in the competition.
Meanwhile, Bronze Tour championship winner Connor Benzey, 13, played Charlie Pringle, 14, in a best-of-five-frame quarter-final match for £50.
Benzey won 3-1 to take second spot and £250. Pringle had to contend himself with third place and £200.
A new 26-week handicapped series starts on Saturday at 1pm. It carries about £1,300 prize money and is open to all ages. Entry fee is £8 plus an additional £1 for non-members. Handicaps are adjusted automatically each week depending on results. During each tournament, practice tables are free of charge. Ring 023 8025 4834 for more details.
SERIES 18 WEEK-26 RESULTS (12 RUNNERS)
Prelims: Connor Benzey 3 Mickey Joyce 2, Charlie Pringle 3 Jamie Wilson 2, Mike Trigg 3 Dan Sykes 1, Dan Hammond 3 Steven Hughes 1.
Quarter-finals: Benzey 3 Pringle 1, Hammond 2 Trigg 0, Oliver Sykes 3 Barry Doswell 1, Christopher Brown 3 Jack Collins 1.
Semi-finals: Hammond 2 Benzey 0, O Sykes 3 Brown 0.
Final: O Sykes 3 Hammond 1.
Plate final: Joyce 2 Doswell 1.
Breaks: Hammond 52 & 33; O Sykes 33 & 30; Joyce 33; D Sykes 30; Collins 24(PB).
Top 12 & prize money: £300 Oliver Sykes (C/Ford) 5 h/cap, 167 pts; £250 Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) -2, 156; £200 Charlie Pringle (C/Ford) 12, 154; £150 Steven Hughes (C/Ford) -5, 144; £125 Mickey Joyce (Basingstoke) -27, 139; £100 Dan Hammond (Winchester) -19, 125; £80 Pete Jordan (Bitterne) 8, 122; £60 Barry Doswell (Portsmouth) 23, 115; £40 Ryan Hughes (C/Ford) 21, 114; £30 Dan Sykes (C/Ford) -12, 111; £20 Phil Morgan (Salisbury) -11, 105; £15 Mike Trigg (East Wellow) -3, 85.
Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.