Chuan Leong suffers first-round defeat in London

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s sole touring professional Thor Chuan Leong is still struggling to make his mark on the World Snooker Tour.

The 29-year-old fell to his 10th first-round defeat of the season when he lost 6-3 to England’s Mark Joyce at the prestigious UK Championship in London on Thursday.

The £850,000 (RM4.7mil) event is one the three major snooker tournaments apart from the Masters and the World Championship.

Chuan Leong, the 2014 Asian Amateur champion, stormed back from 5-0 down (8-99, 30-67, 0-82, 34-64, 0-130) to claim next three frames 77-10, 107-1, 65-40.

But that was as far as he got as former European junior champion Joyce outclassed Chuan Leong in the ninth frame 61-1 to seal victory.

Chuan Leong could have guaranteed himself a £5,000 (RM27,500) pay cheque by making the second round.

Now ranked 93rd, he must finish in the top 64 on the Tour money list next May if he wishes to retain his Tour card for a fifth straight season.

Except for reaching the third round of the English Open in Barnsley in October, Chuan Leong has hardly impressed this season.

He also failed to defend his two SEA Games gold medals at home in August.

Chuan Leong will now try to redeem himself at the Scottish Open in Glasgow from Dec 11-17.