Morgan Wins Senior Snooker Crown

Nov 11, 2011

Darren Morgan saw off a series of snooker legends to win the Wyldecrest Parks World Seniors Championship.
Welshman Morgan beat Cliff Thorburn, Jimmy White and Steve Davis on the final day of the event at the East of England Showground in Peterborough to take the £18,000 top prize. In fact the 45-year-old from Newport won a total of six matches in the event as he had to get through two rounds in the qualifiers. He conceded just one frame in the tournament, against Davis in the final.
Six-times World Champion Davis, who was also runner-up in this event last year, won the opening frame of the final with a break of 72. Morgan started the second with nine reds and blacks, and went to make 86 for 1-1. Davis had an early chance in the decider but could only make 14 before missing a tricky red along the top cushion, and Morgan kept his composure with a run of 60 to secure the title.
"It's got to be up there with the best moments of my career," said Morgan, who won the Irish Masters during his pro career but never captured a ranking title. "It's just nice to be back and to be a World Champion. I came here just wanting to play well on TV, but I didn't expect to play that well. In the final I just told myself to enjoy it and not to be frightened of losing. It's been a fantastic tournament with good crowds and a brilliant atmosphere. I've really enjoyed seeing all the old friends and getting into the spirit of it."
Morgan dropped out of the pro game four years ago and insists that he would not contemplate trying to come out of retirement. "It can't happen, my life is too busy now," he said. "If someone could put me straight back in the top 32 I would consider it, but it would be too hard for me to get there. But if I got offered any wild cards for pro events then I would definitely be interested!"
Davis said: "That's two years in a row I've been runner-up, so maybe next year will be third time lucky. I missed a couple of pressure balls and Darren held himself together very well."
Results
Last 16
Steve Davis 2-1 Tony Drago
Dene O'Kane 2-1 Neal Foulds
Karl Townsend 2-0 Steve Ventham
John Parrott 2-1 Joe Johnson
Jimmy White 2-0 Tony Knowles
Dennis Taylor 2-0 Nigel Bond
Darren Morgan 2-0 Gary Wilkinson
Cliff Thorburn 2-1 Doug Mountjoy
Quarter-finals
Davis 2-0 O'Kane
Morgan 2-0 Thorburn
White 2-0 Taylor
Parrott 2-1 Townsend
Semi-finals
Davis 2-0 Parrott
Morgan 2-0 White
Final
Morgan 2-1 Davis
Article courtesy of Word Snooker.