The Pro Challenge Series was a series of non-ranking snooker tournaments held during the 2009–10 snooker season. The events were open to all players on the main tour and were intended to give tour players more playing opportunities. Seven events were planned but only four took place before the series was cancelled, due to low player participation. The series was not repeated and was replaced by the Players Tour Championship, which started the following season.
Prize fund Except for event 2, events had a prize fund of £15,000 with the winner receiving £5,000. Event 2, which was played using the six-red format, had a prize fund of £10,000 with the winner receiving £3,000. In event 2 the £500 break prize went to the player with the fastest maximum break.
Schedule
The schedule for the Events 1 to 5 is listed below. Event 4 was cancelled and event 5 was the final tournament played. Event 2 was played using the six-red format. Events 6 and 7 were cancelled. Date Country Tournament Reds Venue City Winner Runner-up Score Ref. 28 Jul 30 Jul Event 1 15 Northern Snooker Centre Leeds 5–2 31 Aug 1 Sep Event 2 6 Pontins Prestatyn 6–2 9 Nov 11 Nov Event 3 15 Willie Thorne Snooker Centre Leicester 5–3 Event 4 Tournament was Cancelled 16 Feb 18 Feb Event 5 15 George Scott Snooker Club Liverpool 5–1
Event 1 Prize fund
Winner: £5,000 Runner-up: £2,500 Semi-final: £1,500 Quarter-final: £500 Last 16: £250 High break: £500
The first event took place at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, from 28 to 30 July 2009. Stephen Maguire beat Alan McManus 5–2 in the final. Dave Harold made the highest break of 128. Results are given below.
Preliminary round
0–4 2–4 3–4 4–0 w/o–w/d 4–1 1–4 3–4
Century breaks
128 Dave Harold 127 Ken Doherty 126 Andrew Norman 115 Ricky Walden 107 Mark Boyle 107 Stephen Maguire 106 Matthew Couch 100 Tom Ford 100 Joe Swail
Event 2 Prize fund
Winner: £3,000 Runner-up: £1,500 Semi-finals: £800 Quarter-Finals: £400 Last 16: £225 Fastest maximum break (x75): £500
The second event took place at Pontins, Prestatyn, on 31 August and 1 September 2009, using the six-red format. Ken Doherty beat Martin Gould 6–2 in the final. Stuart Pettman took the prize for the fastest maximum break. Results are given below.
Preliminary round
2–5 4–5 3–5 w/o-w/d 2–5 5–2 5–0 w/d–w/o 4–5 4–5 1–5 4–5 1–5 3–5 2–5
Maximum breaks Note: a maximum break in six-red snooker is 75 points.
Stuart Pettman (2 min 31 sec) Dave Harold (3 min 16 sec) Fergal O'Brien (4 min 30 sec) Ryan Day (no time)
Event 3 Prize fund
Winner: £5,000 Runner-up: £2,500 Semi-final: £1,500 Quarter-final: £500 Last 16: £250 High break: £500
The third event took place at the Willie Thorne Snooker Centre in Leicester, from 9 to 11 November 2009. Robert Milkins beat Joe Jogia 5–3 in the final. Ricky Walden made the highest break of 140. Results are given below.
Preliminary round
3–4 1–4 4–0 3–4 w/d–w/o 4–2 4–2 4–0 w/d–w/o 1–4 4–3 4–1 1–4 2–4 3–4 2–4 4–2 2–4 4–2 4–3
Century breaks
140, 105, 103, 102, 102, 100 Ricky Walden 137, 118 Robert Milkins 137 Simon Bedford 137 Craig Steadman 129 Jamie Cope 125, 104 Stuart Bingham 123, 116, 102 Judd Trump 121 Rod Lawler 120 Ken Doherty 113, 103 Sam Baird 113 Liu Song 110 Mark King 107 Matthew Couch 102 Joe Jogia
Event 5 Prize fund
Winner: £5,000 Runner-up: £2,500 Semi-final: £1,500 Quarter-final: £500 Last 16: £250 High break: £500
Event 5 took place at the George Scott Snooker Club in Liverpool, from 16 to 18 February 2010. Barry Hawkins beat Michael Holt 5–1 in the final. Judd Trump made the highest break of 138. Results are given below.
Preliminary round
4–2 2–4 1–4 1–4 w/d–w/o 0–4 2–4
Century breaks
138 Judd Trump 137 Ken Doherty 135, 129, 121 Liang Wenbo 134 Rod Lawler 132, 128, 104 Stuart Bingham 131 Graeme Dott 130 Craig Steadman 128, 105 Tom Ford 125 Nigel Bond 124 Mark Joyce 123, 106 Barry Hawkins 122 Jamie Cope 122 Adrian Gunnell 109, 102 Michael Holt 106 Simon Bedford 104, 100 Daniel Wells
References