Cowdroy ends six-year drought at Jesters
IT WAS more than six years ago that this last happened.
Bradley Cowdroy collected the winner’s trophy in the third leg of the Cuestars Under-21 Gold Tour at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.
The 16-year-old from Bournemouth had not won a tournament at that club since 2012.
Cowdroy pocketed £60 prize money after beating 15-year-old Mickey Joyce (Basingstoke) 2-0 in the final.
The England internationals and fellow Premier Junior Tour players were both unbeaten in the group stages.
Cowdroy admitted he took time to get going in the event sponsored by Nice Clean Ltd and Don Rogers Sports.
He said: “I know I sound like a broken record but again it was my typical slow start in the groups and I was really struggling for any sort of rhythm.
“But then after I managed to get through, I tweaked a few things before the knockouts and started to play some decent stuff.
“I probably saved my best until last in the final against Mickey.”
Recalled his previous success, Cowdroy added: “It was the first time I’ve won there since May, 2012 when I was a little 10-year-old kid in Bronze. So it brought back a few nice memories, for sure.”
Cowdroy extended his rankings lead to 23 points. Remarkably, second-placed Oliver Sykes and Connor Benzey, in third, finished fifth and sixth in their six-man round-robin group.
Last season’s Bronze Tour rankings winner Ronnie Sullivan made the semi-finals for the first time. The Londoner beat Aidan Murphy (Bristol) 2-1 in the last-eight before going out 2-0 to Joyce.
Earlier, Murphy recorded the day’s highest break of 88.
In the second semi, Cowdroy beat Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford) 2-0 to deny his opponent a first appearance in a Gold final.
The fourth leg of ten is at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, on Sunday, December 2.
For more information about the event sponsors, visit www.nicecleanltd.co.uk and www.donrogerssports.co.uk.
BREAKS
Aidan Murphy: 88, 41, 40.
Mickey Joyce: 57, 48.
Ryan Hughes: 40.
Elliott Weston: 45.
Bradley Cowdroy: 46, 45, 41.
Ronnie Sullivan: 47.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Aidan Murphy (Brislington & St Annes Conservative Club, Bristol); 3rd, Ryan Hughes (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Riccardo Drayton (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Chloe White (Waterlooville Sports Bar).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Mickey Joyce (Academy, Basingstoke); 2nd, Elliott Weston (Top Spot, Havant); 3rd, Ronnie Sullivan (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Jamie Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 5th, Oliver Sykes (Chandlers Ford SC); 6th, Connor Benzey (Chandlers Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Hughes 2-1 Weston, Cowdroy 2-0 Wilson, Sullivan 2-1 Murphy, Joyce 2-1 Drayton.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Joyce 2-0 Sullivan, Cowdroy 2-0 Hughes.
FINAL (£60/£25, 25/18 points): Cowdroy 2-0 Joyce.
Picture by John Hunter
Bradley Cowdroy (left) and Mickey Joyce
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)