Gilchrist Wins English Open Title

Peter Gilchrist made it back-to-back title wins on this year’s World Billiards circuit following victory at last weekend’s White Roofing English Open in Cambridge.

This level 3 ranking event was the second leg on this season’s ‘Home Nations’ style series after David Causier’s success at the Scottish Open in January, and with the Irish and Welsh Opens to come in May and July respectively.

An impressive 34 players from across the UK and beyond made the journey to the Cambridge Snooker & Pool Centre for the Ron Agnew Trophy, but it was the experienced and well-travelled three-time former world champion who prevailed.

Singaporean representative Gilchrist – runner-up to Causier at the Scottish Open – qualified top of Group A after three wins from three and then defeated Eddie Duggan (Wales) 623-205, Mick White (England) 750-256 and Mark Hirst (England) 718-347 in the knockouts to reach the final.

His opponent there was defending champion Rob Hall (England), who also came through the weekend undefeated. However, it was Gilchrist who preserved his untarnished record come the end of the 90-minute final; aided by runs of 133, 185 and a 165 unfinished break, he emerged as a 572-288 winner.

For Gilchrist, the success over Hall was revenge, as he had lost to him in the final here last season. It also signalled his second trophy in the space of seven days after claiming the Club Marconi Sydney Open on the other side of the world in Australia the previous weekend.

The next stop on the World Billiards tour is April’s prestigious UK Open and World Matchplay Championship double-header from the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds.

To view the full results from the White Roofing English Open please visit World Billiards.