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Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China Open

Postby roy142857

Although the World Championship will give players their final shot to stay on Tour, getting into the Top 64 that guarantees a place on Tour by then and only needing to match the rounds other players reach is quite an advantage.

Three players who don't have protection from their European Order of Merit position are outside the Top 64 but not far outside, and have qualified for both of the World Open and China Open - Tián Péngfēi, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Mike Dunn. Each of them very much needs at least one win and will be hoping that those around and just above them (including each other!) will not win matches at these events or the PTC finals. There's enough extra money for an opening round win (£3500) that it would take them into the Top 64.

Their upcoming opponents are :

Tián Péngfēi - World v Graeme Dott; China v Gary Wilson

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh - World v Stephen Maguire; China v Ken Doherty

Mike Dunn - World v Mark Allen; China v Peter Lines

An extra nuance to this - were Tián Péngfēi and Mike Dunn to win their first matches at the China Open, they would play each other in the next round, with a further £1500 at stake.

Of the players who could be overtaken in this manner, two lack protection, or much protection, from their European Order of Merit position - Steve Davis (currently 63rd) and Jimmy White (currently 60th). Davis can be overtaken by 1 win by any of Tián Péngfēi, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Mike Dunn, White only by Tián Péngfēi. So Davis and White really need to be winning to defend their positions. Their upcoming opponents are:

Steve Davis - World v Stuart Bingham; China - not qualified

Jimmy White - World v Shaun Murphy; China v David Morris

All five will be hoping for a lack of wins by the other players around them who are either protected by their European Order of Merit position or are on the first year of a two year card - Luca Brecel, David Morris, Gerard Greene, Gary Wilson and Sam Baird, also Scott Donaldson is just ahead of Jimmy White.

Peter Lines (58th) and Dave Harold (57th) aren't that clear of trouble either, neither qualified for the World Open, both qualified for the China Open. As noted above, Lines plays Mike Dunn. Harold's opening match is against Stephen Maguire.

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby roy142857

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh was the big winner of the day, leaping into the end of season Top 64 with his win, things are sufficiently close that he's up to 61st. And if other results fall the right way, he could be in the World Championship draw top 64 too.

The big loser of the day, strangely enough, could be Tony Drago. Gerard Greene's loss today meant he slipped out of the Top 64 and, were he to stay there, would regain his place on Tour via the European Order of Merit, knocking out Tony Drago in the process.

The loss by Steve Davis today meant he slipped to 64th, and that place is vulnerable to a David Morris win tomorrow.

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby roy142857

So the only one of the highlighted players managing to 'deliver' at the World Open was Thepchaiya Un-Nooh; with two wins he is now much better placed, but he ill be hoping the players involved in the PTC finals who are just behind him won't win their opening matches - that's Scott Donaldson, Sam Baird, Gary Wilson and Gerard Greene.

Only Un-Nooh delivering was good news for Peter Lines and Dave Harold, especially Un-Nooh lost today and so stays behind them.

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby roy142857

So Mike Dunn delivers at the China Open, keeping Peter Lines 'at risk' (now 61st), one more win gets Dunn past Steve Davis, whilst Dave Harold has his position improved without lifting his cue thanks to Stephen Maguire pulling out - lets hope that's not the deciding factor for who stays on Tour at the end of the season.

Thepchaiya Un-Nooh further strengthened his position today too, still 'at risk' but really giving himself a good chance of staying on Tour ... but thanks to Stephen Maguire, he hasn't overtaken Dave Harold.

And of course Jimmy White - a good win to improve his chances.

Tián Péngfēi in need of a win tomorrow (a tough one against Gary Wilson) to keep pace with the others, even better it would put him into the Top 64 ahead of Wilson and Baird.

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby roy142857

roy142857 wrote:
Tián Péngfēi in need of a win tomorrow (a tough one against Gary Wilson) to keep pace with the others, even better it would put him into the Top 64 ahead of Wilson and Baird.


And he did so. Also may be significant that it takes him past Mike Dunn once more, and that Steve Davis is pushed down to 66th.

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby roy142857

Mike Dunn beats Tián Péngfēi to leap up to 65th (could have been Top 64, but Luca Brecel won too) - Tián Péngfēi's still ahead of Dunn as today's win only added £1500, whereas the wins earlier in the week added £3500 (do wonder sometimes how they decide these things!).

Steve Davis back to 68th now, sure needs to get the job done in World Championship qualifying.

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby roy142857

Jimmy White's win today takes him £32 past Thepchaiya Un-Nooh - such a small amount, but it means Un-Nooh has to get one round further than White in the World Championships to pass him in the rankings, could end up being the difference to being on Tour next year or not. A win tomorrow is worth £4500, White winning against Mark Selby would move White past two more players (Dave Harold, Jamie Jones), not enough to be 100% safe, but close to it.

Neither of Peter Lines or Tián Péngfēi will want to see wins for Mike Dunn or Luca Brecel tomorrow, if both were to win Lines falls to 63rd and Tián Péngfēi to 65th. Luckily for Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Jimmy White (if he loses), Dunn and Brecel would still be behind them, although not by much. Best scenario for Dunn of course would be himself winning and Brecel losing.

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby roy142857

So Mike Dunn delivered a win, and saw Luca Brecel fall behind him by losing - so Dunn is up to 61st.

Bad news for Peter Lines, who shifts down to 62nd, but even worse for Tián Péngfēi who is theoretically in 64th - but pretty well MUST win one match in World Championship qualifying anyway, and probably needs two. It's just my opinion, but I think the chances are that Luca Brecel and Sam Baird, who start a round earlier than Tián Péngfēi, will win their matches against Lee Page and John Astley respectively - they'll gain 1000 points for their wins and overtake Tián Péngfēi. Even if only one wins, Tián Péngfēi is down to 65th - so his first match must be won. Also of note is that if he wins that second round match, and Brecel wins his match in the same round, Brecel will remain slightly ahead of Tián Péngfēi.

Brecel and Baird being out of the Top 64 leaves them both needing their places via the European Order of Merit, the potential loser being Tony Drago, at the moment left one place short of getting his Tour place back via the Order of Merit.

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby Wildey

Some players on Twitter calling for Steve Davis to be given a Lifetime Tour Card


I Think that's against the essence of sport and Doubt Steve Would be interested in it anyway and this is what Barry Hearn said when Steve went in to the Jungle late last year

“If Steve was outside the top 64, and wasn’t in the eight extra places from the European Tour money list, he would be faced with going to Q-School to carry on.

“I think he would do that, he wants to carry on, but there would be no guarantee he would qualify.

“He knows he has missed a couple of events which could have helped him out and when he comes back from the jungle he will be trying his nuts off in whatever remains this season.

“But he has to take responsibility for it, just like everyone else. The days of giving him a wild-card, those days are gone.


http://www.express.co.uk/sport/otherspo ... -Celebrity

Re: Tour Survival - players needing wins at World or China O

Postby fridge46

I dont know if this has come up but I have a query regarding Scott Donaldson's qualification and double-qualification.

He doesnt qualify via Ranking, as he 65th on the money list. However he qualifies twice from both the European and Asian OOM:

EOOM: 38th, 3rd not already qualified, £6,699
AOOM: 8th, 2nd not already qualified, £4,700

So my question is, which list will he qualify off? AOOM as he is the higher ranked & highest not already qualified? or EOOM as he made more money?

There is nothing in the Entry Packs that I have seen which states what happens in case of double qualification from both OOM's.

If he qualifies from the EOOM, 5th placed AOOM Zhou Yuelong (or 6th placed Rouzi Maimaiti if Yuelong qualifies as IBSF Champion) will take the vacated spot.

If he qualifies from the AOOM, 9th placed EOOM Martin O'Donnell will take the vacant spot.