Michael Holt makes winning return at Championship League snooker after replacing Ronnie O’Sullivan
Holt failed to regain his tour card at Q School last month after losing his place on the main circuit a year ago, but showed he still has the class to mix it with the elite by defeating Alfie Burden 3-0 in their group decider to progress on frames won.
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Burden won his opening two matches against Rod Lawler (3-0) and Scott Donaldson (3-1) at the Morningside Arena on Monday with Holt, playing under amateur status, needing a whitewash win to reach the last 32 after a win over Donaldson (3-1) and a defeat to Lawler (3-1).
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Elsewhere, Noppon Saengkham potted the final black in a dramatic Group 19 decider with Mark Davis to earn a 2-2 draw that saw him progress to the second phase.
World No. 27 Saengkham enjoyed earlier wins over Ross Muir (3-0) and Jenson Kendrick (3-1) with Davis defeating Kedrick 3-0 and drawing 2-2 with Muir.
The Hastings man needed victory over Noppon to top the section, but the outcome of the group came down to the final ball with Davis leading 2-1 but agonisingly failing to scramble over the winning line.
Masters champion Judd Trump, Jimmy White, Joe Perry and former women’s world champion Reanne Evans take to the table on Tuesday.
The tournament carries total prize money of £328,000 with the final on Friday, July 21 also worth a spot in the Champion of Champions in November.
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Championship League latest group winners
- Group 3: Ashley Carty (Eng)
- Group 30: Daniel Wells (Wal)
- Group 11: Martin O’Donnell (Eng)
- Group 21: Chris Wakelin (Eng)
- Group 10: Michael White (Wal)
- Group 22: Robbie Williams (Eng)
- Group 5: Kyren Wilson (Eng)
- Group 29: Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Tha)
- Group 6: Mark Williams (Wal)
- Group 27: Barry Pinches (Eng)
- Group 32: Xiao Guodong (Chn)
- Group 16: Ben Woollaston (Eng)
- Group 15: Matthew Stevens (Wal)
- Group 28: Anthony Hamilton (Eng)
- Group 17: Zhou Yuelong (Chn)
- Group 26: Jak Jones (Wal)
- Group 7: Long Zehuang (Chn)
- Group 24: Pang Junxu (Chn)
- Group 8: Robert Milkins (Eng)
- Group 23: Sam Craigie (Eng)
- Group 20: James Cahill (Eng)
- Group 25: Si Jiahui (Chn)
- Group 1: Michael Holt (Eng)
- Group 19: Noppon Saengkham (Tha)
Championship League Stage 1
- June 26-30
- July 3-8
- July 10-14
Championship League Stage 2
Championship Stage 3
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