Final defeat is World blow for Williams

WORLD number one Mark Selby beat Mark Williams 10-8 in a tight China Open final to leave the Welshman needing to qualify for the World Championship.

World number one Selby captured the 11th ranking title of his career and a top prize of £85,000 by coming from 8-7 down to win the last three frames.

Defeat was a double blow for 42-year-old Williams as he missed out on his first ranking title in six years and also the chance to regain a place among the world’s top 16.

Victory would have given him an automatic spot at the Crucible later this month, but now he must head to the Betfred World Championship qualifiers which start on Wednesday and will need to win three matches to make the final stages.

Ryan Day must have been the most relieved man following the final as he hung on to the 16th seeding position thanks to his fellow Welshman’s defeat.

Williams, who won £35,000, said: “It was a fantastic game from start to finish. I was 8-7 up and then didn’t get much of a chance in the last three frames. I was playing the number one in the world and one of the best players ever, and I pushed him all the way.

“The likes of Trump, Robertson and Murphy are all good players but none of them are in Mark’s league. I had a tough draw and I’m happy with the way I performed all week.”

Selby, meanwhile, will head to the Crucible at the top of his game having had his most successful season to date.

He had never previously won more than two ranking events in a single campaign, but following his victories at the Paul Hunter Classic, International Championship and UK Championship, the 33-year-old from Leicester has landed another piece of silverware.

“We both played so well, we scored when we got chances and the safety was good,” said Selby, who also won the China Open in 2015.

WALES’ golfers had one of their best-ever results in winning the European Nations Cup, with Llanwern’s Jack Davidson winning the individual title and earning a place in the Walker Cup squad.

Wales had only ever once won the European Nations Cup before, in 2002 and also won the European Team Championship in 1993, but this win was up there as one of the best in Welsh amateur golf history.

Davidson followed up his win at the Spanish Amateur three weeks ago by winning the individual title by four shots from Ireland’s Robin Dawson at Sotogrande, while teammates Owen Edwards and David Boote both finished tied 10th.

Celtic Manor’s Josh Davies completed the quartet and he also contributed on a couple of the days with the best three scores each day counting towards the team total. Davidson finished five under par, Dawson the only other player to finish under par four shots back in tricky conditions in the South of Spain. Wales won the team event by 11 shots from second-placed Ireland.