Welshman Jak Jones beat countryman Jamie Clarke to win the EBSA European Championship in Poland on Saturday.
The 22 year-old won the last four frames to come from behind and conquer his compatriot 7-4.
Jones will be offered a two-year card onto the professional Main Tour for his victory in the prestigious international amateur event.
It’ll be the third time that Jones will try his hand in the pro ranks after two previously unsuccessful stints on the circuit.
The youngster, who reached the final qualifying round of last year’s World Championship, joins the likes of Mark Allen, Luca Brecel and Robin Hull who have won the European Championship.
For Clarke, it marks the third time in less than a year that he has endured an agonising final defeat in a major amateur tournament.
The 21 year-old was runner-up to Michael Wild in the 2015 edition as well as being the beaten finalist in the World Under-21 Championship later that same year.
Ireland’s last interest ended in the last 16 with Brendan O’Donoghue and Michael Judge going down to Jones and Rhydian Richards respectively.
Judge, though, did manage to scoop the high break prize with a 133 in his defeat to Richards.
But congratulations to Jones, who will be hoping it’ll be third time lucky in his attempt at making the big-time.
Why not write an article on the guys that get on/fall off/get on/fall off… the pro tour. At £20k a pop is it worth for these guys to keep chasing a dream? How many get on then fall off, then get on again and do well. A couple at least have done well falling off once but by the 3rd stint as a pro you got to be asking yourself if you should be doing something else. It’s expensive and really the only the top 32 make a respectable living. Sure, some guys have rich parents/backers, but the rest surely would be better to get a job, something that pays no costs them money. Great win for Jak Jones but he’s a case in point.
Yes, it’d be interesting to look into that in detail alright. I suppose the players who keep trying time after time must feel like they are good enough. The margins are fine though. If you can break into the top 64 in two years you have every right to believe you can push on from there. But you only have to look at David Morris as an example to see how it can be just as easy to drop back. Fine lines for many.