Adams master of the table after 30 years

Ahipara player renews his love of snooker

I encourage people that want to play snooker to give it a go. It truly tests

you.

Newly-crowned snooker master Tom Adams finished second in the 2022 Whangamata Snooker Masters main event. Adams said the game came down to a decider, which ended in a “nailbiter” watched by a crowd of more than 100 people.

He played 10 sets of three over the three days, and ended with seven wins and three losses, including the final.

“It’s awesome to see new places and meet new people,” he said.

“I encourage people that want to play snooker to give it a go. It truly tests you.”

The competition was held jointly between Whangamata Club and Whangamata RSA.

Just last month, Ahipara’s Adams was the overall winner at the 2022 Kamo-Northland Masters Snooker Championship.

At the time, the newly-crowned snooker master said the best thing about it all was the renewed sense of joy the sport had brought him and his whānau.

Adams first picked up a pool cue at age nine — inspired by a desire to share the pastime with his dad and brothers — and throughout the 70s and 80s played at the Kaitaia Billiard’s Saloon under the watchful gaze of mentor and friend, Tony Jujnovich.

Although he loved snooker instantly, he put down the cue in his 20s when life pulled him in another direction.

Adams recently returned to the Far North after years of living in Port Hedland, Western Australia. While he would sometimes play pool tournaments at local pubs, he said it wasn’t until two months ago he picked up a snooker cue.

The 53-year-old said it had been about 30 years since he last played the game seriously, making his recent win at the prestigious invitation-only 2022 Kamo-Northland Masters Snooker Championship unexpected.

Adams took out the singles main event and top prize as the overall winner, shocking everyone, including himself. His next tournament is in Papakura in February.