Beebe claims tenth O’Sullivan Cup

LUKE Beebe (pictured) was forced to work hard to become the tenth O’Sullivan Cup champion at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

The 12-year-old from Eastleigh, who made his debut on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour last season, accounted for Connor Benzey 2-0 in the final of the under-13s handicapped tournament.

Conceding an eight-point start, Beebe went ‘in-off’ the final black but won the re-spot to take the lead.

And he secured the title with a tricky pink in the next after missing two easy blues for the match.

“It was hard,” said Beebe. “(But) that was the best match.”

Benzey, the 11-year-old son of the 2001 Town Champion Mark Benzey, had beaten Portsmouth hotshot Jamie Wilson, nine, 2-1 in the semi-finals.

Bowen Zhu, nine, defeated Harvey Banger in the Plate final.

RESULTS (H/CAPS)

Semi-finals: Luke Beebe (scratch) 2 Steven Hughes (+12) 0, Connor Benzey (+8) 2 Jamie Wilson (scratch) 1.
Final: Beebe 2 Benzey 0 (55-48, 56-43).
Plate semi-finals: Harvey Banger (+48) 1 Reece Allen (+48) 0, Bowen Zhu (+18) 1 Harry Wilson (+48) 0.
Plate final: Zhu 1 Banger 0.
Breaks: J Wilson: 33, 22, 21; Beebe: 27, 22, 21.

ROLL OF HONOUR
1998: Simon Stanko
1999: Mathew Broderick
2000: Stewart Crosswell
2001: Toby Lewis
2002: Matthew Woods
2003: Lee Roling
2004: Richard Wagstaff
2005: Doug Chalk
2007: Lee Sainsbury
2013: Luke Beebe

Picture by Tim Dunkley