Hawke’s Bay snooker player wins Gisborne tournament

Sam Martin takes aim at the Snooker Sun City Open. Pictures by Paul Rickard

SAM Martin showed on Sunday why the New Zealand snooker selectors have picked him to represent his country at under-21 level.

The apprentice electrician from Hawke’s Bay beat local player Alan Scholes in the final of Gisborne Cosmopolitan Snooker Club’s Suncity Open Handicap Tournament at the weekend.

Martin was one of four visitors among 24 entrants in the tournament.

But he was the only visitor to make the semifinals.

Sixteen players had qualified for post-section play, and they were whittled down to Martin and local players Allan Brough, Nathan Coombs and Scholes for the semifinals.

Martin defeated Brough and Scholes defeated Coombs to earn their places in the final.

In other results, Kevin Kennedy defeated Phil Thompson Sr to win the flight, Gary Raggett defeated Tiny Thompson to win the plate, and Mick Cleaver defeated Dave Judd (Hawke’s Bay) to win the consolation plate.

The next event of interest to local players is the Cosmopolitan Snooker Club’s handicap singles on Saturday, April 27.