Four-year-old passes Level 1

IS HE the youngest player to pass Level 1 of the Cuestars Coaching Programme?

William Thomson, who will only have five candles on his birthday cake next month, scored 21 on the first level on the opening day of the Ken Jones May Half-Term Cup at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

And he’s not the only four-year-old competing in the club’s Saturday morning under-13 league on full-sized tables.

Also turning five next month is Jake Tear.

William, who made his debut in April, already has a high break of nine and is currently third in Division 1 while Jake, who started in May, is seventh.

The pint-sized potters need help with lifting the rests and re-spotting the balls and doing the scoreboard but apart from that they are competing well.

The half-term cup – which runs from 11am-3pm, Monday to Friday, this week – is named in honour of the late Ken Jones.

Ken, who died in 2012, played for Saints when they won promotion for the first time to the old First Division in 1966 and coached snooker for more than 30 years in Chandler’s Ford following his retirement from the game.

One of Ken’s lads was Billy Castle, who turned professional earlier this month after graduating from Q School.

Picture by Tim Dunkley. William Thomson (left) and Jake Tear

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)