The opening eight matches in the first qualifying round have been completed today in Prestatyn with eight more to follow this afternoon. Click below to read what has happened so far:
Morning Session
White eases through
Jimmy White is through to the second qualifying round having comfortably beaten last year’s World under-21 Champion Michael Georgiou 5-1. Although Jimmy had won his six previous matches at Prestatyn, he hadn’t done so with big breaks but today that was to change. He opened the match with a run of 95 and although Georgiou was to level it at 1-1 following a scrappy second frame, White turned on the style to win the next four frames, with a break of 105 in the fifth being the highlight.
Jimmy’s reward is a match with former world number 12 David Gray tomorrow morning. As for Georgiou however that is a third defeat from three qualifying matches this season and he will hope for better next time out in the Bahrain tournament at the end of October.
McBain edges thriller
In what was a high quality contest, Scotland’s James McBain narrowly beat Welshman Andrew Pagett 5-4 to move into the second round tomorrow. Both players played well, the match going one way and then the other until Pagett moved just one frame from victory at 4-3. At this point McBain knocked in the third century of the match and the highest break of the day so far of 114 to level it before taking a close deciding frame to win the match.
Finish of the day
The closest finish of the day came in the match at the top of the draw between Paul Davison and Atthasit Mahitthi. After over three and a half hours of play, the pair could not be separated at four frames all with the score in the final frame standing at 64-64. Following a lengthy tactical exchange lasting over ten minutes, Mahitthi finally ended it though and took his first win of the season. He will now face Martin Gould for a spot in the third round tomorrow morning.
The value of experience
As well as White’s win over Georgiou, a number of matches went the way of the most experienced player this morning as Peter Lines, Scott MacKenzie and Simon Bedford all eased comfortably into the next round.
Frame scores:
Round One
Jimmy White 5-1 Michael Georgiou 95(95)-1, 25-64, 68(30)-34, 70(39)-56(35), 119(112)-0, 55-20
Paul Davison 4-5 Atthasit Mahitthi 28-84(62), 14-112(350, 74(47)-7, 62(56)-14, 71(54)-26, 43-89(32,330, 73(37,36)-17, 28-72(48), 64(44)-71
James McBain 5-4 Andrew Pagett 71(31)-8, 0-103(103), 20-60, 68(47)-1, 2-74(41), 139(102)-1, 47-65, 123(114)-5, 81(52)-54(33)
Lewis Roberts 2-5 Andy Lee 66-40, 19-75, 68(42)-47, 39-63, 33-63, 45-62, 22-58
Lee Spick 3-5 Jin Long 70(38)-36, 75(55)-23, 42-63, 30-67, 12-67(54), 66-59(44), 1-107(83), 0-115(114)
Peter Lines 5-1 Declan Hughes 28-63, 71-59(37), 74-50, 77-29, 58-24, 69(34)-55
Simon Bedford 5-2 Liu Chuang 78-58(48), 37-84, 110(75)-0, 77(50)-11, 100(71)-0, 16-62, 95(83)-1
Scott MacKenzie 5-1 Robert Stephen 56(36)-33, 65-39, 68-39, 84(68)-5, 14-73(59), 61(46)-27