ENGLISH ASSOCIATION for SNOOKER & BILLIARDS

2005-6 ENGLISH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

DAVID GRACE - 2005 ENGLISH AMATEUR CHAMPION

The English Amateur Championship is the longest running, most prestigious Amateur Championship anywhere in the world. Winning the English Amateur Championship is a career high for a non-professional English player.

First held in 1916, when it was won by Charles Jacques, the Roll of Honour reads like a Who's Who of Snooker through the ages. Early winners included Sydney Fry, also a famous Test Cricketer; the inimitable Laurie Steeples, Kingsley Kennersley.

In 1946 John Pulman (pictured left) etched his name on the trophy, the first of four players who would go on to win the World Professional title, the others being Ray Reardon, John Spencer and Terry Griffiths (pictured right).

For many years it was the only route to professional status and even with today's new qualifying structures, winning THE Championship can help a player on the road to a professional career.

With double ranking points on offer, the Champion, as long as he's racked up more points during the EASB National Tour season, should be riding high on the EASB Ranking List at the end of the season, when the top two players will gain a coveted WSA Main Tour ticket for 2006-7.

The youngest champion still remains Clacton's Alex Davies (pictured left), who was just fifteen when he beat another fifteen year old Ben Woollaston in 2003. Defending Champion, David Grace from Leeds, has history against him if he is to successfully defend his title. The last man to win back-to-back Championships was Terry Griffiths in 1977 and 1978.

The Championship sets out with 198 entrants competing in eight regional events around the country, with the regional qualifiers playing down to a Northern and Southern winner, who will contest the Championship title at the EASB Finals Weekend on 27-28 May 2006 at the RAC Club in London.

PRIZE FUND

Winner: £1,000.00

Runner Up: £500.00

Semi Finalists: £350.00

Quarter Finalists: £175.00

Last 16 £90.00

Last 32: £40.00

High Break: £100.00

TOTAL PRIZE FUND: £4,400.00

ENGLISH AMATEUR ROLL OF HONOUR