Snooker News

Clark Foils Fernandez Tour Return

Rhys Clark denied Leo Fernandez a return to the Main Tour after a 4-1 victory over the Irishman in the final round of Q-School Event 1 in Burton.

Clark played O'Sullivan in the 2013 UK Championship when he was 19 - photo courtesy of Monique Limbos.
Clark played O’Sullivan in the 2013 UK Championship when he was 19 – photo courtesy of Monique Limbos.

The young Scot joins the professional ranks for the first time in his career and is joined on the graduate list by countryman Eden Sharav, England’s Sydney Wilson and Welshman Daniel Wells.

For Sharav, his 4-3 victory over Adam Duffy counts as redemption following his failure at the final hurdle in both 2014 Q-School tournaments.

His encounter with Duffy, who almost became the first amateur to qualify for the World Championship in April, was always going to difficult and so it proved to be a high-scoring affair.

Sharav countered Duffy’s runs of 107, 93 and 70 with breaks of 103 and 83 of his own, before taking a scrappy decider to finally realise his dream of becoming a professional.

Wilson also impressed as he ousted China’s Chen Zhe 4-1 while Wells denied Swiss teenager Alexander Ursenbacher an immediate return to the circuit with a victory of the same scoreline.

Triumph for Wells ensures the 26 year-old gets a third crack at professional status and, having previously not had the best of times during his other spells on the tour, he’ll be hoping it will be third time lucky.

It’ll be a big disappointment for Fernandez, who reached the last 32 at the Crucible way back in 1999, but the 38 year-old still has the second event later in the week to go one step further.

There’s no rest as the competition to decide the final four available places begins tomorrow, with Ireland’s TJ Dowling among those taking part on the opening day.

The full draw for Event 2 can be viewed here.

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