Hunter brings home title
Snooker: Paul Hunter beat Ian McCulloch 9-4 to take the £52,000 first prize in the British Open. Paul Hunter secured his third world-ranking title to add to his two Masters triumphs by beating Ian McCulloch, the world No43 from Preston, 9-4 to take the £52,000 first prize in the British Open last night.
Paul Hunter secured his third world-ranking title to add to his two Masters triumphs by beating Ian McCulloch, the world No43 from Preston, 9-4 to take the £52,000 first prize in the British Open last night.
Hunter's first major success, the Regal Welsh Open at the age of 19, encouraged him in the delusion that he could devote more time to enjoying himself and less to working on his game. "Stopping drinking," was his candid identification of the key factor in the increasing maturity he has shown in the last two seasons.
McCulloch, the lowest ranked finalist on the circuit for four years, took £26,000 as runner-up, a significant cheque for a professional of 10 years standing who had still been just short of £200,000 in career prize money.
His chief supplementary source of income has been club exhibitions at £200 a time, no century, no fee. Many club tables are beasts, but only three times did he fail. In tournament play, he lost countless 5-4s and was apparently stuck in the middle reaches of the rankings, but his consultations with a sports psychologist, Graham Slater, seemed to have helped him cope with the way the game suddenly seems more difficult when winning becomes the imminent issue.
He was able to retreat into a cocoon of concentration to beat John Higgins, the defending champion, 5-2 in the quarter-finals and Mark Williams the world No2, 6-3 in the semis.
On the eve of their match, Higgins, a passionate Celtic supporter, travelled to Ewood Park for their Uefa Cup triumph over Blackburn Rovers, treating his quarter-final as just another day at the snooker factory. "John gave himself a late night. I had a ticket and didn't go," said McCulloch.
Glaring errors cost McCulloch the second frame on the black to Hunter's 43 clearance and the third when he missed a blue of supreme simplicity through concentrating on cannoning the pink.
Fluking the opening red, McCulloch made 99 in the fourth only for Hunter to go to 4-1 with a 110. McCulloch's 70 had counted for the six but his third-frame error, missing a black from its spot when 30 ahead, let Hunter in for 90 and 5-2. When Hunter increased this to 7-2 the end seemed nigh, but McCulloch fought to the last, making frame winners of 135 and 79 before Hunter applied the finishing touches.
Hunter's first major success, the Regal Welsh Open at the age of 19, encouraged him in the delusion that he could devote more time to enjoying himself and less to working on his game. "Stopping drinking," was his candid identification of the key factor in the increasing maturity he has shown in the last two seasons.
McCulloch, the lowest ranked finalist on the circuit for four years, took £26,000 as runner-up, a significant cheque for a professional of 10 years standing who had still been just short of £200,000 in career prize money.
His chief supplementary source of income has been club exhibitions at £200 a time, no century, no fee. Many club tables are beasts, but only three times did he fail. In tournament play, he lost countless 5-4s and was apparently stuck in the middle reaches of the rankings, but his consultations with a sports psychologist, Graham Slater, seemed to have helped him cope with the way the game suddenly seems more difficult when winning becomes the imminent issue.
He was able to retreat into a cocoon of concentration to beat John Higgins, the defending champion, 5-2 in the quarter-finals and Mark Williams the world No2, 6-3 in the semis.
On the eve of their match, Higgins, a passionate Celtic supporter, travelled to Ewood Park for their Uefa Cup triumph over Blackburn Rovers, treating his quarter-final as just another day at the snooker factory. "John gave himself a late night. I had a ticket and didn't go," said McCulloch.
Glaring errors cost McCulloch the second frame on the black to Hunter's 43 clearance and the third when he missed a blue of supreme simplicity through concentrating on cannoning the pink.
Fluking the opening red, McCulloch made 99 in the fourth only for Hunter to go to 4-1 with a 110. McCulloch's 70 had counted for the six but his third-frame error, missing a black from its spot when 30 ahead, let Hunter in for 90 and 5-2. When Hunter increased this to 7-2 the end seemed nigh, but McCulloch fought to the last, making frame winners of 135 and 79 before Hunter applied the finishing touches.
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