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1998/99:

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Welsh Open 1999

Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales (Tel: +44 (0) 1222 234500)
Jan 25-31, 1999 (BBC Wales, BSkyB Jan 25-31)
WPBSA ranking tournament (#4 of 9)
�370,000 purse

Reports

Reports from Janie Watkins ([email protected]) as posted on alt.sport.snooker , from Patrick McWilliams ([email protected]). ... and from yours truly.

[ Jan 30 | Jan 30 | Jan 27 | Jan 25 ]

Jan 31: Williams does it again!

Mark J Williams from Wales won his second consecutive ranking event and his second Welsh Open title by beating Scotland's Stephen Hendry 9-8 in the final.

This is also the second time the Welshman beats Hendry in the deciding frame of a major final. He did the same thing in the 1998 Benson & Hedges Masters.

Williams pockets �60,000 for winning his fifth career ranking title and Hendry receives �32,000 as runner-up.

Jan 30: Ronnie makes second maximum

In his quarter-final match against Thailand's James Wattana, Ronnie O'Sullivan made his second professional 147. At 411 seconds it was the second fastest ever, just his own 320-second maximum in the 1997 Embassy World Championship required less time. His newest maximum earned him �25,000.

Jan 27: Wallace Accounts for Doherty

Queen's University old boy Patrick Wallace recorded his best ever win by trouncing former World Champion Ken Doherty 5-2 in the Welsh Open yesterday.

The accountancy graduate, whose successful amateur career included university championships in Ireland and the UK for Queen's, the N. Ireland amateur title and an appearance in the semi-finals of the World Amateur Championships in 1994, "booked" his place in the next round aided by a break of 121.

Earlier the Dungannon professional had snatched the opening frame on the black and added a nice 57 on the way to a 3-1 interval lead. The century break in frame 6 restored his 2-frame advantage after the Dubliner had reduced his deficit to 3-2 and Wallace won the seventh frame to progress to a last-32 encounter with Tony Chappel of Wales.

Having moved up from 150 to a provisional 83 before the Welsh Open, this famous win will boost Wallace's hopes of staying in the top 96 players for next year's main tour.

Doherty, who has enjoyed mixed fortunes since his emotional triumph over Stephen Hendry in Sheffield in 1997, berated himself for inconsistent play: "I'm blowing hot and cold this season and today I was freezing."

Patrick McWilliams

Jan 25: Nailbiting opening to the Welsh Open

fffffive-fffour - phew!

With 10 matches completed in the opening round, five seeds have already departed and 4 more scrape through as 7 out of the ten matches completed go right to the wire 5-4.

We did not have to wait long for the first headlines in The 1999 Welsh. First on to the table, this morning and first onto the plane home this afternoon was Malta's Tony Drago, uncerimoniously dumped out of the event 5-0 by 1996 World Amateur Champion, Stuart Bingham of Basildon. Everything Drago did turned to disaster and the 22 year old World 164 is too strong an opponent not to have taken advantage of Drago's misfortunes.

Four seeds who have been struggling to string a frame together, never mind win a match this season are James Wattana, Andy Hicks, Nigel Bond and Alain Robidoux and they all got embroiled in nerve tingling fights for survival.

Canada's leading pro, Robidoux opened up a 3-1, only to find himself pegged by by Thailand's debutant Phaitoon Phonbun until they were locked at 4-4. Eventually Robidoux was able to bring the weight of his experience to bear to fall over the line 5-4.

Robidoux will face the rank outsider Mike Dunn in the Last 32. Dunn, 27, from Redcar is ranked at 139 in the world, but reputations stood for nothing as he disposed of last year's finalist, Mark King 5-3. Phonbun's compatriot, James Wattana was having troubles of his own on an adjoining table, as he took on the very promising World No 99, Robert Milkins of Gloucester. With never more than a frame between them, again it was the more experienced player who survived to win the tense decider. Wattana's reward will be a match against veteran Dennis Taylor or Gary Wilkinson.

Nigel Bond became the third of the struggling seeds to fall over the line. On paper his was the hardest match against the experienced Dave Finbow of Worcester. Three times a quarter finalist in World Events, Finbow forced Bond to dig deep, before the Darley Dale man gratefully snapped up the final frame.

Andy Hicks, former World Semi Finalist, now down to 21 in the Rankings found himself up against Lee Walker, one of the local Welsh players. From just down the road at Newbridge, the 22 year old World No 50, was up for the occasion. On the back of Wales' superb Nations Cup win, the Welsh Dragons are fired up and backed by their vociferous home crowd. It proved vital for Walker as he edged a 3-2 lead, before Hicks fought back to level at 4-4, but the local favourite wasn't to be denied and to rapturous home applause he took the final frame to go through.

A slightly older Welshman, who seems to always produce his best form in the Welsh Open, is Tony Chappel. Chappel beat Ken Doherty in the event last year. Swansea's Chappel has held a position in the Top 64 for many years, but looks in danger of slipping unless he gets a good run-in to the season. Tiptree's Brian Morgan stood in his way today and at 2-4 down Chappel look out of it. But he has a great reputation for toughing it out from behind and today was to be no exception as he ground his way back into the match, eventually winning the decider to send Morgan home.

The only seed to progress with any degree of comfort was Billy Snaddon. In an all Scottish battle he defeated his compatriot Drew Henry 5-3.

Defending champion Paul Hunter had everything to lose and nothing to gain - and very nearly did. Having trailed 1-3 and 2-4 Hunter looked to be on the way out against an inform Ian McCulloch of Preston. In their previous meeting Hunter edged through 5-4 and today, agonisingly for McCulloch the scoreline ended the same. A vital snooker laid by Hunter in the decider eventually proved to be the winning shot, both players having spurned several chances to take the vital frame.

Sedgley's Martin Clark became yet another seed who perished 5-4 against Bexleyheath's Paul Sweeny. Despite the difference in their respective ranking positions - Clark at 28, and Sweeny at 122, the match looked hard to pick on paper and so it proved as they swapped frame for frame before Sweeny gobbled up the decider.

Janie Watkins

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Qualifying Rounds

Plymouth Pavillions, Plymouth, England (Jul-Sep, 1998)
Results provided by Janie Watkins ([email protected])

(Players are English unless stated)

Round 5

(Saturday 22nd August)

Ian McCulloch                    5-0 Mario Geudens (Belgium)
Allister Carter                  5-3 Willie Thorne
Bradley Jones                    5-2 Joe Perry
Joe Johnson                      5-3 Stephen O'Connor (Ireland)
Alan Burnett (Scotland)          5-0 Steve James
Marco Fu (Hong Kong)             5-4 Tony Jones
Neal Foulds                      5-3 Tony Knowles
Michael Judge (Ireland)          5-3 Troy Shaw
Patrick Wallace (N.Ireland)      5-3 Quinten Hann (Australia)
Tony Chappel (Wales)             5-2 Colm Gilcreest (Ireland)
Robert Milkins                   5-3 Rod Lawler
Dennis Taylor (N.Ireland)        5-2 Wayne Jones (Wales)
Phaitoon Phonbun (Thailand)      5-2 David Gray
Mike Dunn                        5-3 Paul Wykes
Nigel Gilbert                    5-4 Euan Henderson (Scotland)
Barry Mapstone                   5-2 Jason Prince (N.Ireland)
David Roe                        5-3 Robin Hull (Finland)
Darren Clarke                    5-3 Paul Davies (Wales)
Matthew Couch                    5-3 Karl Broughton
John Lardner (Scotland)          5-1 Jason Ferguson
Gary Ponting                     5-4 Peter Lines
Drew Henry (Scotland)            5-4 Peter McCullagh
Mark Gray                        5-3 Jonathan Birch
Lee Walker (Wales)               5-2 Stuart Pettman
Leigh Griffin                    5-4 Dene O'Kane (New Zealand)
Mark Davis                       5-2 Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)
Dave Finbow                      5-3 Dean Reynolds
Joe Swail (N.Ireland)            5-1 Jimmy Michie
Stuart Bingham                   5-0 Nick Pearce
Gerard Greene (N.Ireland)        5-4 Martin Dziewialtowski (Scotland)
Mark Bennett (Wales)             5-3 Shokat Ali (Pakistan)
Paul Sweeny                      5-0 Mick Price

The match between Taylor and Jones ranked as one of the slowest seven-frame matches ever, going into a second session. The frames took 44, 23, 31, 53, 33, 43 and 63 minutes respectively.

Round 4

(Friday 21st August)

Mario Geudens (Belgium)          5-3 Mike Hallett
Marco Fu (Hong Kong)             5-3 Tai Pichit (Thailand)
Phaitoon Phonbun (Thailand)      5-2 Adrian Gunnell
Robin Hull (Finland)             5-1 Shawn Budd (Australia)
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-0 Richard Somauroo (Mauritius)
Stuart Bingham                   5-1 Tom Finstad (Canada)

Round 3

Mike Hallett                     5-4 Craig MacGillivray (Scotland)
Allister Carter                  5-0 Graham Horne (Scotland)
Joe Perry                        5-2 Chris Shade (Scotland)
Stephen O'Connor (Ireland)       5-4 Mark Fenton (Wales)
Alan Burnett (Scotland)          5-3 Alfie Burden
Tai Pichit (Thailand)            5-1 Steve Judd
Tony Knowles                     5-4 Karl Payne
Troy Shaw                        5-0 Dylan Leary (N.Ireland)
Patrick Wallace (N.Ireland)      5-2 Wayne Brown
Colm Gilcreest (Ireland)         5-4 Karl Burrows
Robert Milkins                   5-3 Sean Storey
Wayne Jones (Wales)              5-3 Micky Roughan
Adrian Gunnell                   5-1 Chris Scanlon
Mike Dunn                        5-1 Ian Brumby
Nigel Gilbert                    5-4 John Read
Barry Mapstone                   5-4 Stefan Mazrocis
Robin Hull (Finland)             5-4 Nick Walker
Darren Clarke                    5-3 James Reynolds (Wales)
Matthew Couch                    5-0 John Giles
John Lardner (Scotland)          5-4 Joe Delaney (Ireland)
Gary Ponting                     5-0 Paul McPhillips (Scotland)
Peter McCullagh                  5-3 Craig Harrison
Mark Gray                        5-2 Leo Fernandez (Ireland)
Stuart Pettman                   5-2 Joe Grech (Malta)
Leigh Griffin                    5-4 Paul Cavney
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-1 Marcus Campbell (Scotland)
Dave Finbow                      5-2 Antony Bolsover
Jimmy Michie                     5-1 Jason Wallace
Stuart Bingham                   5-4 Anthony Davies (Wales)
Martin Dziewialtowski (Scotland) 5-4 Ian Sargeant (Wales)
Mark Bennett (Wales)             5-4 Mehmet Husnu (Cyprus)
Paul Sweeny                      5-3 Lee Richardson

Northern Ireland's Patrick Wallace - still undefeated after three tournaments - 6 matches on the spin.

Good morning's work for Ireland North and South with wins for Stephen O'Connor, Patrick Wallace and Colm Gilcreest.

I may be wrong but I think that Patrick Wallace is the only player not to have lost a match so far - I'd have to cross check to see if there ae others.

The Final Stages of The Welsh Open move to a new venue this season. It is no longer at the Newport Centre - oh I will miss the smell of chlorine from the swimming pool!.

It has been rehoused in Cardiff at the Cardiff International Arena - a far more fitting setting for a major World Ranking Event. Newport was great in some ways and so were the crowds, but being in a major arena in Cardiff should raise the profile of the event.

You can find information about Cardiff and all its various venues, media, guides etc at :

www.welcometocardiff.co.uk

Round 2

Mike Hallett                     5-4 Darryn Walker
Allister Carter                  5-1 Eddie Manning
Chris Shade (Scotland)           5-4 Les Dodd
Mark Fenton (Wales)              5-1 Sean Lanigan
Alan Burnett (Scotland)          5-4 Matt Wilson
Tai Pichit (Thailand)            5-2 Simon Bedford
Tony Knowles                     5-4 Barry Pinches
Dylan Leary (N.Ireland)          5-4 Philip Williams (Wales)
Patrick Wallace (N.Ireland)      5-2 Mark Miller
Colm Gilcreest (Ireland)         5-1 Michael Holt
Robert Milkins                   5-1 Gary Lees
Micky Roughan                    5-1 Chatchawan Rutphae (Thailand)
Adrian Gunnell                   5-4 Adrian Rosa
Mike Dunn                        5-3 Munraj Pal
Nigel Gilbert                    5-4 Leigh Robinson
Barry Mapstone                   5-1 David McDonnell
Robin Hull (Finland)             5-4 Hugh Abernethy (Scotland)
James Reynolds (Wales)           5-3 Shaun Murphy
John Giles                       5-4 Jason Weston
Joe Delaney (Ireland)            5-0 Stephen Murphy (Ireland)
Paul McPhillips (Scotland)       5-4 Jeff Cundy
Craig Harrison                   5-4 Stuart Reardon
Leo Fernandez (Ireland)           5-4 Johl Younger (Australia)
Joe Grech (Malta)                5-3 Surinder Gill
Paul Cavney                      5-3 Steve Newbury (Wales)
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-1 Nick Terry
Antony Bolsover                  5-2 Mark Johnston-Allen
Jason Wallace                    5-3 Patrick Delsemme (Belgium)
Stuart Bingham                   5-3 Paul S Davison
Ian Sargeant (Wales)             5-2 David McLellan (Scotland)
Mehmet Husnu (Cyprus)            5-3 Oliver King
Paul Sweeny                      5-0 Mario Wehrmann (Netherlands)

Tai Pichit's victory over Bedford was a great results for Thailand - Bedford had 103 & Pichit 96

These were the first defeats for McDonnell and Pinches.

Round 1

Mike Hallett                     5-3 Kirk Stevens (Canada)
Allister Carter                  5-4 Matthew Bray
Les Dodd                         5-0 Saleh Muhammad (Pakistan)
Sean Lanigan                     5-2 Sam Chong (Malaysia)
Matt Wilson                      5-4 Anan Terananon (Thailand)
Tai Pichit (Thailand)            5-4 Wayne Saidler
Barry Pinches                    5-0 David Coles
Dylan Leary (N.Ireland)          5-3 Dermot McGlinchey (N.Ireland)
Mark Miller                      5-3 Li Jian-Bing (China)
Colm Gilcreest (Ireland)         5-1 Keith E (Singapore)
Gary Lees                        5-2 Gary Natale (Canada)
Chatchawan Rutphae (Thailand)    5-3 Geoff Dunn (Scotland)
Adrian Gunnell                   5-4 Guo Hua (China)
Mike Dunn                        5-3 Alastair Fleming (Scotland)
Leigh Robinson                   5-1 Steve Mifsud (Australia)
David McDonnell                  5-4 Neil Robertson (Australia)
Robin Hull (Finland)             5-1 Eddie Barker
Shaun Murphy                     5-2 Mario Cutajar (Malta)
John Giles                       5-4 Brian Rowswell
Joe Delaney (Ireland)            5-1 Wael Talaat (Egypt)
Jeff Cundy                       5-0 Mike Henson (Germany)
Stuart Reardon                   5-0 Hitesh Naran (South Africa)
Johl Younger (Australia)         5-1 John Whitty
Surinder Gill                    5-0 Björn Haneveer (Belgium)
Paul Cavney                      5-0 Farhan Mirza (Pakistan)
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-2 Darren Limburg
Mark Johnston-Allen              5-0 Ben Reicker (Canada)
Patrick Delsemme (Belgium)       5-3 Simon Parker
Stuart Bingham                   5-1 Darren Hackeson
Ian Sargeant (Wales)             5-0 Hasimu Tuerxun (China)
Mehmet Husnu (Cyprus)            5-1 Bob Chaperon (Canada)
Mario Wehrmann (Netherlands)     5-1 Alex Borg (Malta)

The big match: Mike Hallett v Kirk Stevens: Hallett wins 5-3

Frame Scores 10-62; 67-39; 79 (58)-8; 86-20; 31-56; 0-81 (81); 63-16; 76-45

The frame in which Kirk Stevens made an 81 break took just 9.46 minutes - just like the old days!

Another day and yet another tournament: Now it's like a treadmill down in Plymouth - pity poor Anan Terananon, who survived a late night finish to win 5-4 in the European and then had to go on and play at 10am next morning in a whole new tournament - he didn't win. It's a hard learning curve in these matches!

A good win for the promising Johl Younger from Australia over English youngster John Whitty. Younger had consecutives runs of 66 and 78 in his win.

Iceland's European Champion Kristjan Helgason continued his good run of results with breaks of 59, 71 and 58.

Patrick Delsemme of Belgium knocked in 93 and 90 in his win

Wales' Ian Sargeant compil 111 in a swift 5-0 victory.

The match of the day was a win for Chatchawan Rutphae over Scotland's Geoff Dunn. Rutphae included a magnificent 142 total clearance, which should take some beating as the Tournament's high break. He will now have to wait to see if he wins the high break prize for the pre-televised stages.

Robin Hull weighed in with 103 for the day's third century.

Prize Money

*� Not payable to overseas qualifiers who lose their first match*
					�
Winner	1	*	60,000		60,000
Runner Up	1	*	32,000		32,000
Losing Semi-finalist	2	*	16,000		32,000
Losing Quarter-finalist	4	*	9,100		36,400
Last 16	8	*	4,600		36,800
Last 32	16	*	2,600		41,600
Last 64	32	*	2,225		71,200
Last 96	32	*	1,250		40,000
Overseas Play-off Round	6	*	1,250	�	7,500
Last 134	32	*	200		6,400
High TV Break	1	*	5,000		5,000
High Pre TV Break	1	*	1,100		1,100

Total	370,000

Points

Here is an overview of the points system used in the 1999 Welsh Open.

The points are awarded to the losing players in each round.

Round	Points
Last 198	200
Last 166	270
(seeds 97-128)	200
Last 134	360
(seeds 65-96)	270
Last 102	480
(overseas seeds)	360
Last 96	480
(seeds 33-64)	360
Last 64	640
(seeds 1-32)	480
Last 32	855
Last 16	1,140
Q-F	1,520
S-F	2,025
R-up	3,040
Winner	4,560