Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JORDY BEST
Antrim ace Brown pips Rocket to claim his first title
JORDAN BROWN’S boyhood dreams came true as he stunned the snooker world to become the lowest ranked player to win a title since 1993.
The world No 81 dazzled on the big stage to shock world champion Ronnie O’sullivan 9-8 to win the Welsh Open at the Celtic Manor last night.
And victory saw the Antrim Ferrari, who was a rank 750-1 outsider at the start of the event, become only the fourth Northern Irish potter to win a ranking crown.
Only Alex Higgins, Dennis Taylor and Mark Allen had pocketed ranking honours before surprise package Brown’s maiden triumph.
“I’m absolutely speechless,” beamed an emotional Brown, who banked a career-best £70,000.
“I don’t know what to say, it was an absolute honour to play Ronnie in a final, he’s the greatest ever. “I just always believed in myself. “I had some bad days, but that’s what makes you stronger as a player and a person.
“I was working full-time in a petrol station and full-time snooker on the side and it’s all paying off.
“It’s a dream come true to be mentioned with those great Northern Irish players.
“We all get behind each other but definitely in Antrim.”
It’s been a remarkable career turnaround over the past seven months.
Brown almost fell off the tour last season but reaching the World Championship gave him the self belief that he could achieve on the green-baize.
The 33-year-old hadn’t even reached a ranking quarter-final before last month’s German
Masters.
But four deciding frame wins this week
– with a 5-4 triumph over triple world champion Mark
Selby on the final black the pick of the
DMUULS bunch – saw him reach a first semifinal.
And he blew away former UK champion Stephen Maguire 6-1 to set up a clash with his idol O’sullivan (below). rival John Higgins’ record of five Welsh Open titles.
O’sullivan has lost in three finals this season and said: “Jordan’s a great guy and I’m so happy for him to win to be honest.
“You don’t beat Selby, you don’t beat Maguire... and I played all right, so you don’t win like that unless you’re a great player.”
Brown opened up a commanding 4-1 lead with 107, 78 and 58 breaks.
But O’sullivan hit back-to-back centuries of 135 and 121 to escape the first session just 5-3 behind.
The Rocket fired in the evening as three frames on the bounce, with 68 and 61 visits, saw him lead for the first time at 6-5.
Brown reclaimed pole position as he went 7-6 up, but O’sullivan rallied once again to level.
But Brown went within one frame of the finish line with a composed 56 break before O’sullivan sent the match to a fitting decider with a gutsy 119 clearance. And Brown held his nerve with a match-winning 74.