Ssb - white loses in black ball finish

[MySockPuppet]

There was agony for Jimmy White today when he lost 5-4 on a re-spotted black to Ian McCulloch having led 4-0 in their third qualifying round clash in the Welsh Open.

Unlike at Wembley, there was now showbiz atmosphere in chilly Prestatyn but White's army of supporters - many of them glued to live scoring - must have been cheered when they saw their man open a 4-0 lead.

But McCulloch fought his way back into contention and set up a nervy decider in which both players had chances before White sank the black to force a re-spot.

But it was McCulloch who potted the extra black to consign White to a disappointing defeat.

He leaves Pontin's having won one match yesterday but still not guaranteed his main tour place for next season, having come into the event 62nd in the provisional rankings.


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[lk8]

what minimum ranking do you need to be to keep the Main Tour spot? Is it 64?

[Mal]

64th which he is still on course for.

If he finishes outside the top 64, then the top 8 outside of this in the one year list will also qualify and also some wildcard spots. I think he will do enough, but he started the season with a sniff of a chance of top 48 spot, but that has dissipated with this loss and most significantly with not taking part in UK.