The final Players Tour Championship event at Furstenfeldbruck in Germany from Friday will decide the final 24 places for the grand finals in Galway in March.
For the first time, the field has been played down to 16 for the three day tournament and it’s an intriguing collection of cueists.
There are three members of the top 16 – Mark Allen, Stephen Maguire and Martin Gould – plus five players who have at one time been top 16 members – Stephen Hendry, Marco Fu, Ricky Walden, Joe Perry and David Gray.
In addition, two players – Andrew Higginson and Michael Holt – are PTC winners this season and another – Marcus Campbell – won one last season.
Of the remaining five players there’s Mike Dunn, a maximum maker this season, Kurt Maflin, a Londoner based in Norway, Xiao Guodong, one of a number of improving Chinese players, and two players who secured main tour spots this campaign through the Q School, Dave Gilbert and David Grace.
Allen would probably start favourite for the title. His run to the UK Championship final last month – and his performance in recovering against Judd Trump – must have left him full of confidence, not a commodity he was lacking in the first place.
All the PTCs are wide open but there is an additional factor in this one in that all matches will be played in front of the TV cameras, where the more experienced players tend to thrive.
The final stages carry big money and big ranking points so those players not already qualified will be busting a gut to do so.
And there is another subplot: if Walden wins the title he relegates Ronnie O’Sullivan from the top 16 at the seedings cut-off for the next three ranking events.
It’s live on Eurosport from 1pm (UK time) on Friday.
Here’s the last 16 draw:
Mike Dunn v Mark Allen
David Grace v Martin Gould
Ricky Walden v Xiao Guodong
Dave Gilbert v Joe Perry
Marcus Campbell v Michael Holt
Stephen Hendry v Marco Fu
Stephen Maguire v David Gray
Kurt Maflin v Andrew Higginson
18 comments:
Mark Allen
Martin Gould
Xiao Guodong
Joe Perry
Marcus Campbell
Stephen Hendry
David Gray
Andrew Higginson
then
martin v xaio
stephen v david
then
martin v stephen
martin wins
Hendry for the title!
This will probably be one of those events that the PTC prizemoney will be totally inadequate for the atmosphere, crowds and pressure of the occasion.
Prizemoney for the Sheffield events are about right but these events should be upgraded accordingly, as there is scarcely any difference between them and a regular ranker.
Come on Xiao Guodong!
you changed you fav player again jamie?
kildare cueman
Thats a load of rubbish they are PTC so they have equal status if they get popular give them full ranking status until then they stay as minor events same as sheffield.
Come on Ricky!
Done an accum with most of the big names but just thinking, after the xmas break, some of them mightn't have been practising. Might be a tourney for the outsiders.
3.38, you're blinded with terminology. The only similarity with tomorrows event and a Sheffield PTC is the name. PTC.
For the record Stephen Hendry doesn't beat Marcus Campbell. This is just in case anyone was looking to rewrite history.
well done kildare cueman
is that fence itchy?
Hardly any outsiders in it.
But yes, the "bigger ptc events" should become full rankers sooner rather than later.
Come on Hendry. This is it!
They don't have equal status with Sheffield. They have a lower status than Sheffield because they are only paid in Euros, which are less than pounds!
Hallett said double and not cross double. First ever. Someone must have had a word with him.
hopefully 210
ive been the one on here moaning about it several times....
Hendry playing well. Fu was looking for a comeback but his 2 frame wins didn't shake Hendry at all. It is nice to see consistency and concentration again from the master.
This is it!
is this one still working?
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