Liam Highfield defeated Dylan Emery 4-3 to win the seventh and ultimate WPBSA Q Tour Europe occasion of the season on the Landywood Snooker Membership in Walsall, England.
The victory marks Highfield’s first title on the Q Tour and ensures his place on the Q Tour International Play-Offs in Turkey subsequent month the place three World Snooker Tour (WST) two-year tour playing cards will likely be on provide.
The 34-year-old Englishman, who’s aiming for a fast return to the skilled circuit after his 14-year unbroken spell got here to an finish final yr, joined the three-day occasion on the Saturday as one of many 48 seeded cueists on the Landywood Snooker Membership.
His marketing campaign started with a tricky take a look at in opposition to fellow former skilled Craig Steadman, who had already reached a Q Tour Europe occasion ultimate in Sweden earlier within the season. The 2 gamers went blow for blow in a high-quality contest however a quartet of half-centuries, together with a high break of 92, was sufficient for Highfield to safe the victory in a decider.
A 4-1 win over fellow countryman Ryan Davies earned Highfield his place within the ultimate day for the fourth time this season and he started the Sunday in fashion with a whitewash of Josh Thomond to succeed in the quarter-finals.
Again-to-back 4-2 victories over Kuldesh Johal and Alex Clenshaw, the latter from 2-1 behind, noticed Highfield e-book his place in a Q Tour Europe ultimate for the primary time.
Welshman Dylan Emery was his opponent within the title match after he proved to be one of many standout performers throughout the weekend.
Emery, who received the second Q Tour Europe occasion of the marketing campaign, compiled the match excessive break of 140 in opposition to Anton Kazakov on Saturday night and adopted this up by overcoming former World Snooker Federation champion Ashley Hugill to earn a spot within the final eight.
There he confronted 14-year-old Shaun Liu, who had supplied one of many tales of the occasion by selecting up consecutive victories over former professionals Steven Hallworth and Harvey Chandler.
The Hong Kong China cueist got here near including one other scalp in opposition to Emery as he led 3-2 within the best-of-seven body contest. Emery was capable of maintain his nerve, nonetheless, and take the final two frames earlier than as soon as once more displaying his battling qualities within the semi-finals to defeat Ukraine’s Iulian Boiko in a decider having trailed 3-1.
It had been a day filled with drama and a excessive commonplace of snooker on the Landywood Snooker Membership and the title match proved to be no completely different.
In a match that featured a half-century break in each body, Highfield stormed right into a 2-0 lead with breaks of 93 and 69 after which moved one away from victory at 3-1 with an additional contribution of 59.
Emery wasn’t taking place with out a combat, nonetheless, and visits of 83 and 87 compelled a ultimate body to resolve the victor.
All you need in a decider is an opportunity and when Highfield’s arrived he took full benefit by hitting a 91 clearance to safe the primary Q Tour title of his profession.
The 2024/25 WPBSA Q Tour season comes a detailed subsequent month because the International Play-Offs are staged in Antalya, Turkey on 11-13 March. Full particulars will likely be introduced sooner or later.
