Harrison books Q School spot
WILTSHIRE’S Ben Harrison is packing his bags for three crucial weeks in Sheffield which could make or break his snooker career.
The teenage potting ace from Hawkeridge, near Westbury, has won the third of four tournaments in the Q School Preparation Series at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester.
This means the 19-year-old has secured a top-four place and with it a £1,000 sponsorship to World Snooker’s Q School in May where he will have the chance to turn professional.
Harrison defeated world number 74 Kyren Wilson 5-2 in the final with breaks of 53, 55, 54, 71 and 54.
He said: “The win against Kyren was massive for me, not just for the result but mentally as well. It’s the first time I’ve beaten him in competition.
“He beat me 5-4 twice in practice this week. And he came back from 3-1 at the interval to beat me in the first event. And I was 3-1 up again in this one.”
Now ranked number one on the QSP Series, Harrison, who also competes on the Cuestars South of England Championship Tour, heads to the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield for four high-pressure Q School tournaments between May 11 and May 31. The semi-finalists in each event earn places on the Main Tour.
Harrison insists leaving his family and friends behind and living out of a suitcase would be a small price to pay for a place on the pro-circuit.
“I don’t mind the thought of travelling around a lot,” he said. “As much as I would miss home, I would have to adapt as this is why players practise so hard: to get their tour place and try to make it big as a professional, which I believe I can do.”
In the last-16 in Gloucester, prolific century-breaker Harrison fired in 107 and 50 in a 4-0 win over Lewis Calcutt (Witney).
He added runs of 70, 70 and 53 in a 4-0 success against former Irish professional Leo Fernandez and accounted for Michael Wild (Oldham) 4-1 in the last-four.