2019 Championship League
Finals, Snooker News

Martin Gould Wins 2019 Championship League

Martin Gould has triumphed in the 2019 Championship League after winning the Winners’ Group in Barnsley on Thursday.

The “Pinner Potter” advanced from the round-robin stage with four victories from his six league encounters.

Gould subsequently overcame two-time defending champion John Higgins in the last four, outscoring the Scot with breaks of 105, 57, and 55 helping to record a dominant 3-0 scoreline.

The 37 year-old’s opponent in the 2019 Championship League final was fellow Englishman Jack Lisowski, who denied Neil Robertson in his semi-final clash.

Gould opened the contest with an excellent 115 century break before his opponent restored parity with a run of 63.

From there and with the winning line in reach, the high scoring dried up and it was a simple test of nerve to the finish.

Lisowski had opportunities to bag a maiden professional title but it was Gould who was able to scramble home, taking the final two scrappy frames for a 3-1 success.

Gould’s 2019 Championship League glory adds to his previous triumph in the annual invitational, back in 2013.

While the tournament isn’t the most followed on the calendar – the action is entirely contested behind closed doors – there is still quite a lot on offer for the champion.

Gould received £10,000 for capturing the trophy, along with all of the additional bonuses received for winning frames across all the groups that he participated in.

Most importantly, however, the former German Masters champion is now guaranteed a potentially lucrative berth in the Champion of Champions later this year.

“It’s nice to win again – there’s a lot riding on this,” said Gould, the world number 27.

“You get a Champion of Champions spot which is massive really. I think today I was a little more on it than yesterday. I played well yesterday but today I started with two three-nils.”

“I felt really relaxed and to be fair, I really enjoy this event. I take it as a bit of fun – you’re getting paid to virtually practice and it’s match practice that you could never get anywhere else.

“To win this event with the players that were in this group is a great confidence booster for me.”

Gould, who hasn’t entered this weekend’s Gibraltar Open and who didn’t qualify for the China Open, will be hoping to build on the confidence gained when he enters World Championship qualifying next month in Sheffield.

Click here to view the 2019 Championship League draw.

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