Record break for Woking Gold winner Sykes
OLIVER Sykes made the highest break in the 14-year history of the Cuestars Under-21 Gold Tour en route to winning the fourth leg at Woking Snooker Centre.
The 17-year-old from Chandlers Ford pocketed £100 in prize money after beating rankings leader John Donovan (Camden Town) 3-0 in the final.
Earlier, Sykes produced a 139 total clearance – plus runs of 93 and 54 – in a 3-1 last-eight victory over Simon Bubb (Ealing Common).
“I went 1-0 down against Simon, without doing much wrong,” he said. “Then suddenly something clicked. When I’m in the balls, I feel confident. I just keep on potting.”
The talented left-hander drove to Woking the morning after a surprise party at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club for his 18th birthday next week
“I struggled a little bit,” Sykes admitted. “My first game was with Mickey (Joyce), which is never easy. I managed to scrape that one 3-2 with a 101 in the decider.”
Last weekend in Leeds, Sykes won his third successive leg on the English Junior Tour to extend his lead at the top of the national under-21 rankings. On Wednesday afternoon, he faces world number 83 Rod Lawler in the Betvictor Shoot Out in Swansea.
Harry Wyatt (Ferndown) made the semi-finals for the first time since earning promotion from Silver at the end of last season.
Sykes moves up to second in the rankings, seven points adrift of Donovan. Evan Plummer (Coulsdon), who lost the second semi, is third.
Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, hosts the fifth leg of ten on Sunday, January 7.
For more information about event sponsor Woking Snooker Centre, go to https://snookerhub.co.uk/snooker-clubs/woking-snooker-centre or www.facebook.com/wokingsnookercentre.
BREAKS
Oliver Sykes: 139, 101, 93, 79, 63, 54, 50, 49.
John Donovan: 71, 56, 56, 42.
Ronnie Sullivan: 70, 59, 47.
Evan Plummer: 60, 54, 52, 46.
Mickey Joyce: 57, 52, 51, 46.
Simon Bubb: 50.
Will Forster: 44.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP: 1st, John Donovan (Hurricane Room, Colindale); 2nd, Simon Bubb (Gunnersbury Triangle Club); 3rd, Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Zain Jeraj (London Snooker, Tooting).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Will Forster (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Harry Wyatt (Greenbaize, Bournemouth), Cardiff); 3rd, Ronnie Sullivan (Chipstead); 4th, William Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Oliver Sykes (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Mickey Joyce (Academy, Basingstoke); 3rd, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Asten Sahota (Chandlers Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Donovan 3-1 Sullivan, Wyatt 3-2 Joyce, Plummer 3-1 Forster, Sykes 3-1 Bubb.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Sykes 3-1 Plummer, Donovan 3-0 Wyatt.
FINAL (£100/£25, 25/18 points): Sykes 3-0 Donovan.
Picture, from left: Oliver Sykes, Peter Ruddick (manager of event sponsor Woking Snooker Centre), John Donovan.