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NINE more points from the last two tournaments will guarantee Aldershot’s Ryan Mears top seeding in the Cuestars South of England Championship on June 5.
The 22-year-old, who is based at the Sovereign SC, Farnborough, claimed his second tournament win of the season in the sixth leg of the Championship Tour at Copnor Snooker Club, Portsmouth.
He defeated England international Jordan Winbourne (Chandler’s Ford SC) 3-1 in the final.
Realistically, the only way he can be denied first place in the rankings is if either Mike Finn or Neil Craycraft win both the remaining events – and Mears, who this season has never failed to make the quarter-finals, has a couple of absolute shockers.
Mears actually finished second in a tough Group A after a 2-1 defeat by Billy Castle (Cue T’s, Marchwood). Indeed, second-placed Craycraft (147 Snooker Club, Swindon) finished bottom of the four.
Elsewhere, 15-year-old Winbourne compiled a century and defeated Castle and Finn.
Southampton’s Town Champion Finn, who shares second spot with Craycraft, said: “He played very well and thoroughly deserved to beat me. I don’t give praise lightly but he was very impressive.”
And Castle added: “It was the first time I’d played Jordan for a long time. He played absolutely brilliant.”
Winbourne, who competes in the last-16 stage of the English Under-16 Championships in Leeds on Sunday, made a 105 break in a 3-1 win over Castle, 18, in the quarter-finals.
And he then added a 67 in a 3-1 defeat of Finn.
Group B winner Finn (Woolston Cons, Southampton) contributed a 102 in the third frame.
The 25-year-old, who also chalked up breaks of 85, 71 and 50 during the day’s play, edged past Martin Wallace (Reading) 3-2 in the last-eight.
Mears accounted for Group D winner Adam Nash, Finn’s club-mate, 3-1 in the last-eight and John Charlton by the same score in the semi-finals.
Mark McLean (Churchills, Eastleigh), who topped Group C, went out 3-2 to Charlton in the quarter-finals.
The seventh of the eight legs is at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon, on Sunday, April 17.
BREAKS:
Jordan Winbourne: 105, 67, 62, 54.
Mike Finn: 102, 85, 71, 50.
Ryan Mears: 90, 72, 64, 55.
Mark McLean: 79.
Alex Dunkley: 70, 59, 56.
Billy Castle: 60, 58.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS:
GROUP A: 1st, Billy Castle (Cue T’s, Marchwood); 2nd, Ryan Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 3rd, Chris Richards (Roath Labour Club, Cardiff); 4th, Neil Craycraft (147 SC, Swindon).
GROUP B: 1st, Mike Finn (Woolston Cons, Southampton); 2nd, John Charlton; 3rd, Alex Dunkley (Cue T’s, Marchwood); 4th, Shane Castle (Chandler’s Ford SC).
GROUP C: 1st, Mark McLean (Churchills, Eastleigh); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading); 3rd, Ben Tanner (The Academy, Eastleigh); 4th, Ray Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough).
GROUP D: 1st, Adam Nash (Woolston Cons, Southampton); 2nd, Jordan Winbourne (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ollie Kendrick (Whitmore Reans Cons, Wolverhampton); 4th, James Facey (Roath Labour Club, Cardiff).
KNOCKOUT:
QUARTER-FINALS (8 points): Winbourne beat Billy Castle 3-1, Finn beat Wallace 3-2, Charlton beat McLean 3-2, Ryan Mears beat Nash 3-1.
SEMI-FINALS (12 points, £19): Winbourne beat Finn 3-1, Mears beat Charlton 3-1.
FINAL (25/18 points, £80/£40): Mears beat Winbourne 3-1.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
The 22-year-old, who is based at the Sovereign SC, Farnborough, claimed his second tournament win of the season in the sixth leg of the Championship Tour at Copnor Snooker Club, Portsmouth.
He defeated England international Jordan Winbourne (Chandler’s Ford SC) 3-1 in the final.
Realistically, the only way he can be denied first place in the rankings is if either Mike Finn or Neil Craycraft win both the remaining events – and Mears, who this season has never failed to make the quarter-finals, has a couple of absolute shockers.
Mears actually finished second in a tough Group A after a 2-1 defeat by Billy Castle (Cue T’s, Marchwood). Indeed, second-placed Craycraft (147 Snooker Club, Swindon) finished bottom of the four.
Elsewhere, 15-year-old Winbourne compiled a century and defeated Castle and Finn.
Southampton’s Town Champion Finn, who shares second spot with Craycraft, said: “He played very well and thoroughly deserved to beat me. I don’t give praise lightly but he was very impressive.”
And Castle added: “It was the first time I’d played Jordan for a long time. He played absolutely brilliant.”
Winbourne, who competes in the last-16 stage of the English Under-16 Championships in Leeds on Sunday, made a 105 break in a 3-1 win over Castle, 18, in the quarter-finals.
And he then added a 67 in a 3-1 defeat of Finn.
Group B winner Finn (Woolston Cons, Southampton) contributed a 102 in the third frame.
The 25-year-old, who also chalked up breaks of 85, 71 and 50 during the day’s play, edged past Martin Wallace (Reading) 3-2 in the last-eight.
Mears accounted for Group D winner Adam Nash, Finn’s club-mate, 3-1 in the last-eight and John Charlton by the same score in the semi-finals.
Mark McLean (Churchills, Eastleigh), who topped Group C, went out 3-2 to Charlton in the quarter-finals.
The seventh of the eight legs is at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon, on Sunday, April 17.
BREAKS:
Jordan Winbourne: 105, 67, 62, 54.
Mike Finn: 102, 85, 71, 50.
Ryan Mears: 90, 72, 64, 55.
Mark McLean: 79.
Alex Dunkley: 70, 59, 56.
Billy Castle: 60, 58.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS:
GROUP A: 1st, Billy Castle (Cue T’s, Marchwood); 2nd, Ryan Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 3rd, Chris Richards (Roath Labour Club, Cardiff); 4th, Neil Craycraft (147 SC, Swindon).
GROUP B: 1st, Mike Finn (Woolston Cons, Southampton); 2nd, John Charlton; 3rd, Alex Dunkley (Cue T’s, Marchwood); 4th, Shane Castle (Chandler’s Ford SC).
GROUP C: 1st, Mark McLean (Churchills, Eastleigh); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading); 3rd, Ben Tanner (The Academy, Eastleigh); 4th, Ray Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough).
GROUP D: 1st, Adam Nash (Woolston Cons, Southampton); 2nd, Jordan Winbourne (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ollie Kendrick (Whitmore Reans Cons, Wolverhampton); 4th, James Facey (Roath Labour Club, Cardiff).
KNOCKOUT:
QUARTER-FINALS (8 points): Winbourne beat Billy Castle 3-1, Finn beat Wallace 3-2, Charlton beat McLean 3-2, Ryan Mears beat Nash 3-1.
SEMI-FINALS (12 points, £19): Winbourne beat Finn 3-1, Mears beat Charlton 3-1.
FINAL (25/18 points, £80/£40): Mears beat Winbourne 3-1.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)