Four participants of the main tour were determined based on the results of the first Q School-2022 tournament

Posted by review2015 on May 26, 2022

snooker

Rod Lawler, Fergal O’Brien, Andy Lee and Bai Langning were placed on the pro tour in the first Q School Qualifier in Sheffield. They will spend two seasons on the main tour – these are 2022/23 and 2023/24.

 

Former British Open champion Fergal O’Brien crashed out of the tour at the end of last season, but the 50-year-old Irishman quickly recovered. He beat Rory Macleod 4-1 in the final round.

 

It has been a tough week, he says. O’Brien himself turned pro in 1991 and never dropped out of the tour until last season.

 

He noted that it is quite difficult to break through Q School.

 

– If you don’t pass the first tournament here, then the pressure will only increase. I’m really proud of how I fought for everything and kept a good attitude. A couple of weeks ago, I wasn’t even sure if I would play at Q School,” O’Brien quotes WST.

 

The player added that he does not see himself in the main tour for more than a couple of years, and intends to play selectively, not in all tournaments.

 

Lawler is another veteran with over 30 years on the road. He dropped out of the tour in 2021 at the age of 50. According to him, he is very happy to return to the ranks of professionals. He admits that his career is already coming to an end, so he intends to just enjoy these remaining seasons.

 

Andy Lee is a player from Hong Kong. He last performed on the professional tour in 2020 and is now returning after a two-year absence. He is currently 41 years old.

 

According to Lee, he was shocked that he was able to return to the tour.

 

– When the coronavirus broke out in 2020, I returned to Hong Kong and could not return to the UK. So in the last two years I haven’t played at the top level. Sometimes I trained with Marco Fu and it really helped. The last round of Q School is the worst match any snooker player can play. Too much is at stake: either all or nothing,” Lee described the level of pressure.