The Lincoln native Steven Hallworth defeated Callum Downing in a close match that ended 6-4 to win the 2024 English Amateur Championship on Sunday at the Landywood Snooker Club in Walsall. The English Amateur Championship is the oldest and longest-running snooker tournament, having been held since 1916. Past winners have included players like Ray Reardon, Jimmy White, Stuart Bingham, and Jack Lisowski.
Players from England have frequently used the competition as a launching pad to pursue success on the World Snooker Tour.
Gary Wilson and Martin O’Donnell, who squared off in the 2012 English Amateur Championship final, reconnected as pros this month in the Welsh Open final.
Though the 28-year-old had to survive two thrilling deciding-frame matches in the opening rounds of the championship weekend, he was involved in several suspenseful situations.
After defeating Vladislav Gradinari 4-3 in the round of 16, he defeated Craig Steadman 5-4, requiring the final three frames to win.
The semi-finals saw Hallworth thrash Nathan Jones with a whitewash display, making things easier.
He was up against Downing in the championship match, who had earlier defeated the current champion Paul Deaville in the round of sixteen.
Downing also had an impressive win in the final four over 1989 English amateur champion and seasoned player Nigel Bond.
The trophy match turned out to be a close contest in which Downing kept overcoming deficits to bring the score back to even.
The title was in play at 4-4, but Hallworth won the final two frames to take the lead at the critical juncture.
After winning, a jubilant Steven Hallworth told the EPSB, “It means the world to lift this title.”
It has a different history and level of prominence. The trophy has amazing names, and mine will now be on it.
“As snooker players, we don’t often leave an event smiling.
If you can’t celebrate the wins when they come, why are you playing?
“I hummed to clip this trophy to the passenger seat of my car on the way home last night.
“I wasn’t really happy with my game before the event, I just hit hard in Benidorm with my villagers and teammates Oliver Brown, Sanderson Lam and Oliver Lines.
“Oli Lines is the death from me I love these guys and we were happy.
“When I came back, I was commentating on the Championship League so I didn’t really practice, but I was fresh from the event and I fought hard all weekend. it was so, so great.
“At the point when we got back I was commentating on the Title Association so hadn’t exactly rehearsed, however, I was new to the occasion and contended energetically the entire end of the week which was in this way, so satisfying.
“All my concentrate currently is on Bosnia and the WPBSA Q Visit Worldwide End of the season games one week from now.
“I’m certain and no one will need to draw me so ideally I can take care of business out there and return with a visit card.
“The week after I then get hitched so what a month this could end up being
“Colossal yell to my patrons Jim Smith of J S Fitting Lincoln and my title support T R Weston and Child LTD steel fabricators in Lincoln.
“Glynn and Claire Weston have been deep-rooted family companions and have supported me for the last couple of seasons.
“To have them there yesterday and see me lift the prize made it all beneficial.
“Win or lose they need to be there to help me and to have them close by for the photographs with the prize meant the world to me.
“Players by and large, not simply myself, appreciate the help of individuals and organizations like you might have a hard time believing.
“This helps permit us to live life to the fullest and ideally one day have minutes like yesterday. I owe a huge amount to them and to everybody that has upheld me beforehand.”
In the wake of catching the most lofty title of his vocation, the British chap will next expect to recover a put on the fundamental visit as an expert player.
Hallworth will have a chance to do that through the Q Visit when he contends in impending Worldwide End of the season games, with three primary visit spots in Sarajevo available to all.
2024 English Amateur Championship
Final Weekend Results
Last 16
Craig Steadman 4-1 Gary Milne
Steven Hallworth 4-3 Vladislav Gradinari
Hamim Hussain 4-3 John Welsh
Nathan Jones 4-2 Jeff Cundy
Matthew Glasby 4-1 Marcos Dayao
Callum Downing 4-3 Lewis Ullah
Sydney Wilson 4-1 David Brown
Nigel Bond 4-1 Lee Martin
Quarter-Finals
Steven Hallworth 5-4 Craig Steadman
Nathan Jones 5-2 Hamim Hussain
Callum Downing 5-2 Matthew Glasby
Nigel Bond 5-2 Sydney Wilson
Semi-Finals
Steven Hallworth 5-0 Nathan Jones
Callum Downing 5-2 Nigel Bond
Final
Steven Hallworth 6-4 Callum Downing