Billy Castle – Wikipedia
CUESTARS Championship Tour winner Billy Castle has won a place on the professional snooker circuit. The 24-year-old won the six most important matches of his career at Q School in Preston to earn a two-year tour card.
It was a dream come true for the Reading cueman who always had the belief that this day would eventually come. “I was laid down that night trying to get to sleep and I was thinking am I still dreaming,” he said. “I was trying to pinch myself. “It’s something I’ve always dreamt of and to actually do it is just unbelievable. But I’ve always believed in myself.”
Castle earned a free Q School place worth £600 – sponsored by Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon – by winning the Cuestars South of England Championship Tour. He needed to reach the semi-finals of either of the two events to join the pro-circuit. Following a 4-2 first-round victory over Adam Brown (Liverpool), Castle clawed back a two-frame deficit to prevail 4-2 against Jason Tart (Blackpool), the nephew of seven-time World Champion Stephen Hendry. Now on a roll and with his results being followed on mobile phones by friends and family across the south of England, he overcame Mateusz Baranowski (Poland) 4-3, Troy Brett (Ilkeston, Derbys) 4-1 and former professional Zhang Yong (China) 4-1. He now needed one more win. And that became one frame as he led another ex-pro, Paul S Davison (Pickering, Yorks), 3-0. However, Davison pulled two back. Castle compiled a 51 break in the sixth frame but nearly threw his chance away when his opponent needed snookers. While playing a safety shot on the brown, Castle cannoned the black into a pocket and left himself snookered. He failed to escape and left a free ball. But after a subsequent safety shot was poorly executed by Davison, Castle potted the brown and rolled the blue in deadweight for a famous 4-2 victory. “There were a lot of good players up there,” he said. “It was a good standard. “I knew all year that if I played up there the way I can play, I’d be all right.” Proud dad Derek said: “I’m over the moon.”
Cuestars director John Hunter said: “The aim was to find someone who could progress through the whole structure to the professional game. “For it to happen in the first year we introduced the Q School place, I can’t really take it in. “Billy plays such an exciting brand of snooker. He’s got a great nature. No one has a bad thing to say about him. He’s a great role model. But he’s had to work hard at it.”
Castle said: “I’d like to thank John Hunter and Cuestars. It just goes to show what the Championship Tour can do for you.” The dad-of-two, who is based at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, returns to the Guild Hall, Preston, on May 31 for the qualifying rounds of the Riga Masters. Originally from Marchwood, Castle made his competition debut in the Eastleigh & District Under-13 League at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club at the age of ten or 11. In his second Cuestars season, a 14-year-old Castle won his first regional tournament, an Under-15 Handicap Open at Stoke Snooker Club, Gosport, on December 3, 2006.
Picture: By Tim Dunkley
Jamie Wilson – Wikipedia
JAMIE Wilson has fulfilled his ten-year dream of becoming a professional snooker player. Just let that sink in for a minute.
The 16-year-old Cuestars Gold Tour member earned himself a minimum of two years on the World Snooker Tour in the third and final Q School event at the English Institute for Sport Sheffield.
Wilson admitted he was stunned to achieve his ambition and follow in Billy Castle’s footsteps at such a young age.
He said: “I’m still in shock. It’s such an amazing feeling.
“I entered Q School for the experience and I never expected that outcome so I was under no pressure. It’s nuts.”
A remarkable run of six straight victories kicked off with a 3-2 success over newly relegated professional Michael Georgiou, the 2018 Shoot Out champion.
Now filled with self-belief, the talent from Havant beat James Burrett 3-0, Luke Simmonds 4-2, Dave Finbow 4-3, Fang Xiongman 4-3 and Haydon Pinhey 4-3.
That’s four deciding frame victories, including one on the final black against former professional Finbow.
Wilson, who first picked up a cue aged six, competed in the junior section at Copnor Snooker Club and joined Chandlers Ford Snooker Club at the age of seven. It was there that he the Eastleigh & District Under-13 Premier title a year later. He has been based at Waterlooville Sports Bar since his mum and dad, Suzy and Steve, opened the club in September, 2016.
The teenager paid half of the £1,000 Q School entry fee from prize money he’d won playing snooker and pool over the past year.
His World Snooker coach Tim Dunkley said: “Q School is brutal. To come through that at the age of 16 is staggering. But Jamie has tons of self-belief to go along with his undoubted talent.
“Jamie and Billy have blazed a trail that our new generation can follow. The opportunity is there for anyone.”
Picture: by Tim Dunkley
Connor Benzey – Wikipedia
THERE was no resting on his laurels for new snooker professional Connor Benzey yesterday.
The 23-year-old from Eastleigh was back on his own Star table at Waterlooville Sports Bar 24 hours after securing a minimum of two years on the World Snooker Tour.
“I’ve got a tournament later this month,” he explained.
Benzey earned his tour card in the second Q School event at the Mattioli Arena, Leicester. He beat Bradley Cowdroy 4-1, Sean McAllister 4-2, Patrick Whelan 4-2, John Astley 4-2 and Rodion Judin 4-2.
“It’s been a long 12 years trying to pursue my dream and yesterday it finally came true,” he told cuestars.co.uk. “I’m delighted. I’m still buzzing at the moment.
“One thing I’ve probably struggled with these last five or six years of my career is that self-belief. So I was really happy that I kept battling and battling these last couple of weeks.
“I can think of three or four really important clearances I made to win frames that I shouldn’t really have won. Those frames made a big difference in the long run.”
Benzey will be back in Leicester for the Wuhan Open qualifiers in three weeks.
“I just want to try to get comfortable as quickly as possible and hopefully nick a few games early on to really settle down,” he said. “The whole experience can be intimidating, all the other players there, things you’re not used to.”
Benzey began his snooker journey in the Saturday morning junior leagues at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.
He made his debut on the Cuestars Under-21 Bronze Tour at the age of 11 and went on to win the Bronze Championship in 2015, the Silver rankings in 2016 and the Gold rankings in 2022.
Cuestars director John Hunter said: “I’m super impressed with his achievement. It sends a great message to our junior players that their dreams of becoming a professional do not end when they reach 21.”
Benzey is the third player to be awarded a lifetime Cuestars membership for reaching the professional ranks. The other two are Billy Castle and Jamie Wilson.
Benzey thanked his sponsors – Devlin Cues, GH Property Management and SJF Roofing – as well as his home club, Waterlooville Sports Bar, for all their help.
Oliver Sykes – Wikipedia
CUESTARS member Oliver Sykes has been awarded a coveted place on the World Snooker Tour.
The 20-year-old from Chandler’s Ford earned his professional status by reaching the final of the European Championship in Spain.
Although he lost 5-4 to Anton Kazakov, Sykes takes the two-year tour card because his opponent from Ukraine had earnt his by winning the under-21 event.
This was confirmed after the talented left-hander beat Germany’s Umut Dikme 4-1 in the last-four and Kazakov defeated former Finnish professional Robin Hull in the second semi.
Sykes had received a wildcard for this event from Maxime Cassis, the president of the European Billiards and Snooker Association.
Speaking from the Gandia Palace Hotel, he said: “I found out not long after Anton’s semi-final match. I walked into the office and had confirmation from Maxime and James Chambers (from the WPBSA) that I will be receiving a tour card whatever happens.
“It means everything to me. I’ve always wanted to compete against the top players in the world. It will take a couple of days for this to sink in.”
Oliver started at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club just after his eighth birthday. He made his first half-century break at the age of ten in a Cuestars event in Bournemouth and made his first century in his home club’s Under-19 League at the age of 13.
He has now hit three figures 202 times in competition.
A two-time winner of the English Junior Tour, the national under-21 circuit, Sykes has also won the Cuestars Under-21 Gold Tour rankings title twice.
Sykes has been using the same cue for 11 years. It was given to him in 2015 by club player Barry Doswell who wanted to donate a John Parris cue to a young player at Chandlers Ford SC who had the potential to go all the way.
None of this would have been possible without all that hard work, dedication and commitment plus the support of his dad and mum. Imagine how Dean, who was in Spain watching this momentous day unfold, and Claire are feeling.
Sykes follows in the footsteps of fellow Cuestars members Billy Castle, Jamie Wilson and Connor Benzey who have all reached the professional ranks in recent years and thus earned lifetime Cuestars memberships.
Picture by Matt Huart (WPBSA)