Malcolm takes handicapped Pro-Am event
LAST week’s winner of the Whitley Bay Snooker Centre’s one-day handicapped Pro-Am event was Gateshead SC little-known B Team member Malcolm Jones (off 14) who beat his fellow A Team club member Brandon Hall (Minus 14) in what turned out to be a best of three frame final.
After working his way to the last two with 3-0 whitewashes of both Morpeth’s Gerry McNally (off 35) and Durham’s Dale Allan (off 21) Hall had to go all the way to the decider before getting the better of Newcastle’s Lax 3-2 (off 35) in the decider.
In the other half of the draw Jones’ three successes came against Wallsend’s John Slocombe (off 7) 3-1, North Shields Craig Sexton (gave 7) won 3-1 and Wallsend’s Billy Hunter (gave 28) won 3-1.
With the final reduced to the best of three and off four blacks, Jones narrowly won the opener 63-58 on the final black.
After losing the second 68-63 to a brilliant 35 clearance, Hall again showed he was off a good handicap by racing away with the decider 6734 and the winner’s first prize.
Hall’s run of 96 added the highest break award to his beaten finalist’s prize.
Playing off level in the final of the Plate, the clash between the two Shields players for the winner’s award went to junior potter TJ Rendles 2-0 knocking in a nice 31 in the second set.
At the week’s prior event there were only nine entries which resulted in there being no plate competition.
With players having to play only two rounds to reach the final the two surprise finalists turned out to be club members Mark Faichen (off 28) and TJ Rendles (off 42).
With a 14 points a frame start against an A Team club player young TJ played well but just did not have the experience to stop Faichen staking his claim to the Main events first prize with a hard earned 3-1 victory.