Jimmy White moved a step closer to clinching a place in the final stages of the Saga Insurance Masters after beating Jamie Burnett 5-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the qualifying event in Sheffield today.
White, the Masters champion in 1984, finished off with a break of 113 in the deciding frame.
The 45 year-old Londoner has been an ever present in the final stages at Wembley since 1982 but, with only the world’s top 16 seeded through, is unlikely to receive a discretionary wildcard this year having slipped to 78th in the provisional rankings.
However, White will still be among the 18-man field in January if he wins the qualifying tournament.
He trailed 2-1 but compiled breaks of 68 and 114 to edge 3-2 ahead before Glaswegian Burnett, who knocked White out of last season’s World Championship qualifiers, drew level with a run of 61.
They shared the next two frames before White’s second century of the match put him three wins away from securing his Wembley place.
Hi Dave
ReplyDeleteAny idea why Matthew Stevens failed to show up for his match against Jimmy?
Thanks.
No, other than that he failed to ring ahead and say he was pulling out
ReplyDelete