Snooker: Waikanae's Neil Cameron wins the 6th Wanganui East invitational tournament

Neil Cameron of Waikanae won the $4000 AG Challenge Snooker Invitational Singles tournament yesterday.

The sixth annual $4000 AG Challenge Snooker Invitational Singles tournament added another new winner to the ranks at the Wanganui East Club yesterday.

A strong field of 20 players, including eight locals, entered the well attended event on the club's tables, with qualifying matchups on the Saturday followed by the playoffs the next day.

Coming into the finals games yesterday afternoon, event organiser Peter Bouzaid said the four elite players who had been invited had all made the top group.

"Just having that new elect in there has upset the [status quo], some of the local ones have been knocked out quite early."

The top two contenders to emerge were first time entrant Neil Cameron of Waikanae and Whanganui's Paul Briggs, who won the title in 2017 and was in his third final.

Paul Briggs competes on Sunday.

In the best of three frames playoff, which could have gone either way, Cameron emerged with the win.

Other players had come from Palmerston North, Hawke's Bay, Wairapara and Wellington to take part.

Porirua's Mark Hannah won the Flight section and Palmerston North's Shane Richardson claimed the Plate.

Another notable first time entrant was 18-year-old Cody Turner, a New Zealand Under 21 representative from Porirua.

Whanganui's Richard Matthews, who won the 'Clubman' tournament the previous weekend, gave his all but wasn't able to secure a position to qualify in the tough field.

Bouzaid said the club's snooker adjunct thanks their sponsors and everyone who helped over the two days to make another successful tournament.

The club holds snooker nights on Wednesday's and 8-ball pool on Friday's.

Neil Cameron accepts the tournament trophy.