Donovan is Gold Tour rankings winner

JOHN Donovan claimed the Cuestars Under-21 Gold Tour rankings title by the thinnest possible margin.

A “nervy” 2-0 semi-final victory over Harry Wyatt in the tenth and final leg at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, proved decisive.

It meant the 20-year-old from Camden Town drew level with title-rival Noah Gartell who had lost 2-1 to William Thomson in the last-four.

Although Donovan was beaten 2-0 in the final by Thomson, he claimed the title on countback, ie, number of tournaments won this season.

His campaign was nearly derailed when a fire by the tracks close to Paddington Station on March 1 stopped him from travelling to Reading for the eighth leg.

“I was still confident I was going to win the rankings,” said Donovan. “I knew it was going to come down to the last (tournament).

“I did expect it but I’m happy with it.”

Donovan made his Cuestars debut in 2018 and triumphed in the end-of-season Bronze Tour Championship in 2019. He won the Silver Tour rankings in 2021/22.

The event was sponsored by Greenbaize member Shaun Hayman.

Next up is the Cuestars Under-21 Championship at Jimmy White’s Snooker Lounge in Woking on Sunday, May 17, when the top-16 ranked players from each of the three tours will compete for a first prize of £250.