With the 2012/13 season now at an end, attention turns to the new campaign as the 2013 Q School gets underway this Saturday, with 12 more tour spots up for grabs.
But what about the other places? It had previously been announced that the tour would increase to 128 players for the new season, but I can now confirm that it will in fact rise to 133, click below for all of the details…
The Top 64 (64)
As has traditionally been the case, the top 64 in the official two-year ranking list at the end of the 2012/13 season will automatically retain their main tour place for the following campaign.
Including Rod Lawler and Kurt Maflin, who started the season on zero points, the big loser would appear to be Andy Hicks, who not on a two-year card for this season, has now finished outside of the top 64 and looks set to be relegated from the tour.
You can view the final two-year rankings here.
Again, players qualifying via this route will receive a one-year tour card for 2013/14 only.
The ‘Second Years’ (33)
Remember last season that everybody who gained or regained a tour card for 2012/13, who began outside of the top 64, was awarded a two-year tour card?
This means that everybody from 66th placed Cao Yupeng, down to 98th placed Floyd Ziegler, will remain on the main tour for 2013/14, on the second year of that two-year card.
The Top Eight (PTC Order of Merit) (8)
Joe Swail – Back on Tour
As was the case in 2011/12, the top eight performers on this season’s PTC Order of Merit, not already qualified for next season (eg inside the top 64 on the two-year list or already on a two-year card), will earn a tour card.
In practical terms, with nobody other than Andy Hicks dropping off the tour at the end of this season, that means that the top eight amateur players on this season’s PTC Order of Merit, will graduate to the main tour for 2013/14.
There players have been confirmed as follows:
- Joe Swail (8,600)
- Andrew Pagett (4,000)
- Gary Wilson (4,000)
- Andrew Norman (3,950)
- John Astley (3,850)
- Allan Taylor (3,850)
- Kyren Wilson (2,500)
- Chris Norbury (2,250)
These players will receive a two-year tour card.
Q School (12)
As was the case last season, twelve places will go to the Q School, which will see three tournaments staged in quick succession with the semi-finalists of each earning a place on the main tour for next season.
These players will receive a two-year tour card.
EBSA Play-Offs (3)
As concluded during the recent World Championship, the inaugural EBSA play-offs saw twelve players battle it out at the EISS, for three two-year tour cards beginning next season.
The successful qualifiers were:
- Jak Jones
- Stuart Carrington
- Patrick Einsle
These players will receive a two-year tour card.
APTC Order of Merit (4)
Also new for this season, four places will go to the top four players on the new APTC Order of Merit, to players not already qualified for the main tour via other means.
The top four are:
- Li Hang
- Jin Long
- Shi Hanqing, Cao Xinlong, Mei Xiwen (all finished level on 2,200, two will qualify)
These players will receive a two-year tour card.
International Nominations (9)
That leaves 9 places up for grabs, all of which will be made up of international nominations, assuming that they all choose to accept their nominations.
IBSF:
- 2012 IBSF World Champion – Muhammad Asif
- 2012 IBSF World Under-21 Champion – Lyu Haotian
ACBS:
- 2013 Asian Champion – Saleh Mohammed
- 2013 Asian U-21 Champion – Noppon Saengkham
EBSA:
- 2013 European Champion
- 2013 European U-21 Champion – James Cahill
Americas:
- One nomination (Brazil for 2012/13) – Igor Figueiredo
Oceania:
- One nomination
Africa:
- One nomination
These players will receive a two-year tour card.
With the final places to be decided over the coming weeks, stay tuned here at PSB for more updates on those tournaments…