Liam Pullen scored a 4-0 whitewash win over tour rookie Paul Norris to secure his progression at Northern Ireland Open qualifying in Leicester.
21-year-old Pullen showed his potential at the end of last season by running the gauntlet at Crucible qualifying and making the final stages of the World Championship. He gave a good account of himself a the Theatre of Dreams, but lost out to Chris Wakelin.
This season has proved harder for the Yorkshireman, with today’s win only representing his third of the campaign. He now progresses to face former Welsh Open finalist Ben Woollaston for a place in the final stages at the iconic Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
China’s Yao Pengcheng top scored with 117 in a 4-1 defeat of compatriot and two-time women’s World Champion Bai Yulu. Yao will now meet Stan Moody in the final qualifying round.
Tour rookie Oliver Sykes defeated Swiss number one Alexander Ursenbacher 4-0, while Hong Kong cueman Ka Wai Cheung beat Latvia’s Artemijs Zizins 4-3. They face Zak Surety and Oliver Lines respectively in the final round.
QUALIFYING FIRST ROUND RESULTS
Gao Yang (Chn)) bt Panchaya Channoi (Tha) 4-0
Cheung Ka Wai (Hkg) bt Artemus Zizins (LVA) 4-3
Oliver Sykes (Eng) bt Alexander Ursenbacher (Sui) 4-0
Yao Pengcheng (Chn) bt bai Yulu (Chn) 4-1
Chatchapong Nasa (Tha) bt Darragh Gallagher (Eng) 4-1
Liam Pullen (Eng) bt Paul Norris (Eng) 4-0
Mitchell Mann (Eng) bt Liu Wenwei (Chn) 4-3
Michael Larkov (Ukr) bt Sahil Nayya (Can) 4-1
Liam Highfield (Eng) Phil O’Kane (Eng) 4-1
Dylan Emery (Wal) bt Jamie Clarke (Wal) 4-0
Ashley Hugill (Eng) bt Lan Yuhao (Chn) 4-2
David Grace (Eng) bt Deng Haohui (Chn) 4-2
Leone Crowley (Ire) bt Ashley Carty (Eng) 4-1
Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon (Tha) bt Steven Hallworth (Eng) 4-1
Ng Onyee (Hkg) bt Florian Nuessle (Aut) 4-3
Julien Leclercq (Ger) bt Michal Szubarczyk (Pol) 4-1
