Jamie Wilson: I’ve dreamt about this since I was a little kid
HAVANT snooker professional Jamie Wilson has claimed his first Cuestars title.
The 17-year-old revealed he had dreamt about this moment since making his debut on the junior circuit at the tender age of six.
Wilson collected his third winner’s trophy of the season in the final leg of the Cuestars Under-21 Gold Tour at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.
And that was enough for him to clinch the rankings title despite only entering four of the six events and, as a World Snooker Tour professional, conceding a 14-point start to all of his opponents.
Wilson pocketed £100 after beating Aristos Pampouris (Chingford) 2-0 in the final.
But it was his 3-1 last-four victory over Bradley Cowdroy (Bournemouth) that sealed the title as rankings leader Marcos Dayao (Battersea Park), in his final season, was knocked out in the round-robin group stages.
Wilson, who collected his first Cuestars winner’s trophy in December, 2019, at the 83rd attempt, said: “It feels good. It’s great that I’ve finally won one.
“I’ve dreamt about this since I was a little kid. I remember being (on the Bronze Tour) and thinking I wish I could be that good, looking up at Brad Chappell and all that lot.”
And he added: “I wasn’t expecting Marcos to go out in the groups. I was assuming I had to win it.”
Wilson is the first professional to claim a Cuestars title.
Earlier, Cowdroy recorded his first Cuestars century against O’Shay Scott (Eastleigh).
It was his fourth competitive ton and the third time he’d made 101. His highest is a 126 made against William Thomson (Eastleigh) on the EPSB Under-20 Regional Development Tour (South) in August.
Londoner Lee Whaley made the semi-finals for the first time since winning the Silver Tour rankings title last season.
The event was sponsored by trophy supplier Don Rogers Sports (www.donrogerssports.co.uk), Swindon-based window cleaners Clean Cut (www.clean-cut.co.uk) and Jesters Snooker Club (www.jesterssnooker.co.uk).
The 2021/22 junior season kicks off at Salisbury Snooker Club on Sunday, November 14.
BREAKS
Bradley Cowdroy: 101.
Lee Whaley: 75, 51.
Jamie Wilson: 74, 69, 60, 60, 54
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Aristos Pampouris (Cousins, London); 2nd, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Marcos Dayao (Cousins SC, London); 4th, O’Shay Scott (Chandlers Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Jamie Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Lee Whaley (Cousins SC, London); 3rd, Steven Hughes (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon).
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Pampouris 3-1 Whaley, Wilson 3-1 Cowdroy.
FINAL (£100/£25, 25/18 points): Wilson 2-0 Pampouris.
Pictured, from left: Jamie Wilson, Roy Elliott (from Clean Cut), Aristos Pampouris.