Haydon Pinhey: Snooker player determined to make World Snooker Tour

A snooker player who has this year beaten world champion Luca Brecel says he will not give up on his dream of making the World Snooker Tour.

The Plymouth-based player would get two years on the tour if successful.

“It’s heart-breaking because when you pick up a cue it’s your dream to be a professional,” he told BBC Radio Devon.

“With these close calls I get called up to a lot of pro events – the last three years I’ve been in 12 pro events and picked up some crazy wins, so hopefully this year I’ll get a lot more and learn on the job, and hopefully get on it again next year.”

Pinhey’s most memorable win came at the WST Classic in Leicester in March, when he had breaks of 115 and 113 to register a 4-2 win over Brecel – who went on to win the World Championship at the Crucible just over a month later.

“At the time he was about number nine in the world,” said Pinhey, who as an amateur does not have a world ranking.

“I beat him and then beat Elliot Slessor before I lost in the third round.

“That was my best run with a good bit of money, but four weeks after that Luca Brecel became world champion – so I’m holding on to that, that I beat the world champion, that’s my biggest win yet.”

The father of two says he is thankful for the support of his girlfriend and family, allowing him to join up with tournaments at short notice should a player drop out.

And the 26-year-old has the belief that one day he will get that illusive tour card and be able to compete with the best players on a regular basis.

“They do tell me I’m good enough, and I do think I am – with the wins I’ve picked up I know I’m good enough, I just need to get through Q School.

“Maybe it’s becoming a bit of a mental block – I may have to go down the route of that and maybe a coach – but it is what it is, there’s always people worse off.

“I did have a lovely message off a professional called Jamie Clarke, who’s got to the Crucible before and is high in the rankings, which he didn’t have to do – and he said he lost in seven last rounds before he got on tour, so there’s always someone worse off.

“He just told me to keep going, it is tough but you’ve got the game so you’ve just got to keep believing.”

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