Budd closer to Premier Junior Tour promotion
FAREHAM’S James Budd (pictured) moved closer to promotion to the country’s elite under-21 tour after a second tournament win this season on the feeder circuit.
The 19-year-old’s victory in the fourth leg of six at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, took him top of the EASB Regional Junior Tour South rankings.
A 2-0 win in the final over “one of my best mates on and off the tour” earned Budd, who is based at Fareham Snooker Club, £120.
He now faces trips to Coulsdon in May and Woking in June in a bid to join his former Stoke clubmate Mark Lloyd on the EASB Premier Junior Tour, the circuit restricted to England’s top-49 under-21s.
Budd admitted he struggled through the group stages, qualifying in third place. In the knockout he accounted for Evan Plummer (London) 2-0, Lennard Cripps (London) 2-1, Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge) 2-0 and Brad Chappell (Poole) 2-0 in the final.
The teenager, who is fourth on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour, said: “I didn’t play brilliant in the groups but then when it came to the knockout stages I felt that I needed to push on more.
“In the final Brad had chances but I managed to punish him. Brad is one of my best mates on and off the tour and recently I’ve beaten him the last four times.
“I felt confident and believed in myself that I can play against players like him as he’s a class player when he gets going.”
<b>Picture by Tim Dunkley
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FAREHAM’S James Budd moved closer to promotion to the country’s elite under-21 tour after a second tournament win this season on the feeder circuit.
The 19-year-old’s victory in the fourth leg of six at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, took him top of the EASB Regional Junior Tour South rankings.
A 2-0 win in the final over “one of my best mates on and off the tour” earned Budd, who is based at Stoke Snooker Club, Gosport, £120.
He now faces trips to Coulsdon in May and Woking in June in a bid to join his, clubmate Mark Lloyd on the EASB Premier Junior Tour, the circuit restricted to England’s top-49 under-21s.
Budd admitted he struggled through the group stages, qualifying in third place. In the knockout he accounted for Evan Plummer (London) 2-0, Lennard Cripps (London) 2-1, Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge) 2-0 and Brad Chappell (Poole) 2-0 in the final.
The teenager, who is fourth on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour, said: “I didn’t play brilliant in the groups but then when it came to the knockout stages I felt that I needed to push on more.
“In the final Brad had chances but I managed to punish him. Brad is one of my best mates on and off the tour and recently I’ve beaten him the last four times.
“I felt confident and believed in myself that I can play against players like him as he’s a class player when he gets going.”
Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.