Oliver Sykes wins tickets to Welsh Open in charity tournament

CUESTARS Gold Tour player Oliver Sykes has won tickets to see his first professional tournament.

The 12-year-old beat Connor Benzey 2-1 from 1-0 down in the final of the Sightsavers Snooker Spectacle at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

Sykes lost the first frame on the black but his 16-year-old opponent, who had made a 130 break in the previous day’s under-19 league, potted only three reds in the next two.

Two tickets for the Welsh Open, which runs from February 11-17 in Cardiff next year, were donated by professional Billy Castle for the winner of the annual charity event.

Neil Carroll, who had been drawn in the same round-robin group as both finalists, won the Plate competition for those players not qualifying for the main knockout.

The World Seniors Tour player beat 29-year-old Callum Littlejohns (Eastleigh), who was appearing in his first snooker tournament, 2-0 in the final.

Carroll had knocked out defending champion Steven Hughes in the semis.

Six-year-old William Thomson played his first tournament away from the Saturday morning junior leagues and marched around the tables like a seasoned professional.

An excellent turnout of 16 meant the club was able to donate a total of £338.90, which included David Stewart’s cake sales, to the charity.

Benzey’s 48 was the highest break of the day.

EASB referee David Cook officiated the final using an electronic scoreboard.

To find out more about Sightsavers, which works to eliminate avoidable blindness and promotes the rights of people with disabilities, go to www.sightsavers.org.

GROUP-STAGE RESULTS

Group A: 1st, Steve Wheatland; 2nd, Riccardo Drayton; 3rd, Steven Hughes; 4th, Callum Littlejohns.

Group B: 1st, Connor Benzey; 2nd, Oliver Sykes; 3rd, Neil Carroll; 4th, Colin Sullivan.

Group C: 1st, James Sorrell; 2nd, O’Shay Scott; 3rd, Steve Boterhoek; 4th, William Thomson.

Group D: 1st, Stu Barter; 2nd, David Stewart; 3rd, Dave Nunn; 4th, David Thomson.

KNOCKOUT

Quarter-finals: Wheatland 1-0 Stewart, Benzey 1-0 Scott, Sykes 1-0 Sorrell, Drayton 1-0 Barter.

Semi-finals: Benzey 2-1 Wheatland, Sykes 2-0 Drayton.

Final: Sykes 2-1 Benzey.
Frame scores (Sykes first) 40-51, 78-1, 68-9.
Referee: David Cook.

PLATE

Quarter-finals: Hughes 1-0 D Thomson, Carroll 1-0 W Thomson, Boterhoek 1-0 Sullivan, Littlejohns 1-0 Nunn.

Semi-finals: Carroll 2-1 Hughes, Littlejohns 2-1 Boterhoek.

Final: Carroll 2-0 Littlejohns.

Breaks: Connor Benzey: 48, 47, 46; Oliver Sykes: 47, 42, 35; Steve Wheatland: 32; O’Shay Scott: 31; Neil Carroll: 31; William Thomson: 11.

Group picture by Tim Dunkley

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)