Callum bowled over by Bronze title
A TRAINEE decorator from Havant painted the town red after turning down the chance to make his debut for the Hampshire under-25 bowls team.
Instead, Callum White opted to compete in the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour championship play-off and walked off with the winner’s trophy.
The 17-year-old said: “I woke up that morning and thought this is my day.”
And, rather philosophically, he added: “The ball rolls as the ball rolls.”
White finished second in his round-robin group at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, to his sister Chloe, the women’s world number 45.
He then overcame rankings winner Riley Ellis (Wootton Bassett) 2-0 in the last-four and Ronnie Sullivan (Coulsdon) 2-0 in the final.
White tipped Sullivan to do well when the new campaign starts in September.
“Next season, he could be a title contender,” he insisted.
Based at Copnor Snooker Club, Portsmouth, White is taking a painting and decorating course at Highbury College.
He recently qualified for the county under-25 bowls team but requested one Sunday off to attend the Cuestars end-of-season finale.
“I didn’t want to miss finals day,” he explained. “And it’s actually quite good that I didn’t miss it because I wouldn’t have won the championship.
“I enjoy snooker a little bit more because I’ve been playing it longer.”
The event was sponsored by the home club. For more information about Jesters, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.
BREAKS
O’Shay Scott: 24, 22.
Riley Ellis: 24.
Callum White: 22.
Shane Kearns: 21.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Riley Ellis (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Ronnie Sullivan (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport); 5th, Riccardo Drayton (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Chloe White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Callum White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 3rd, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, O’Shay Scott (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Arnie Petty (Salisbury SC); 6th, Kyle Carter (Jesters, Swindon).
SEMI-FINALS: Callum White 2 Ellis 0, Sullivan 2 Chloe White 1.
FINAL: Callum White 2 Sullivan 0.
Pictures by Tim Dunkley.
Have you got any snooker news?
Send me your snooker news now. It doesn’t have to be from a Cuestars tournament. E-mail me details or contact me via Facebook and you could be on the Cuestars website and in your local newspaper. E-mail: [email protected]
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)