Lei Peifan rocketed up the rankings and stands to bolster his £100,000 earnings after the younger Chinese language participant secured a surprising Scottish Open victory.
The 21-year-old shot up from 84th to forty third on the planet along with his win in Edinburgh on Sunday, a breakthrough second as he beat compatriot Wu Yize 9-5.
It made him the lowest-ranked winner of a snooker rating occasion since Dave Harold, then 93rd on the planet, beat Darren Morgan within the remaining of the 1993 Asian Open in Bangkok.
Lei returned to the tour this season after beforehand dropping off, and made it previous the likes of Shaun Murphy, Stuart Bingham and Mark Allen in Scotland.
Lei’s achievement has already opened the door to extremely profitable locations within the World Grand Prix, which takes place in March in Hong Kong, and subsequent season’s Champion of Champions match.
It’s little marvel Lei was preventing to remain composed because the end line approached towards fellow 21-year-old Wu, in skilled snooker’s first remaining between two gamers born within the twenty first Century.
“I stored picturing myself successful the title if I made the subsequent shot, however I attempted to remain calm and put together myself for every shot,” Lei instructed the WST web site, exterior.
“Coming again to the skilled circuit this yr, my objective was simply to maintain my place on the tour. I’ve already been relegated twice earlier than. I did not anticipate this consequence in any respect and it got here so quick.”
Lei is already concentrating on extra titles however a serious pay day might come if he finishes prime of this season’s Residence Nations Collection cash record, and that’s not out of the query.
With simply the Welsh Open to come back, in February, Lei has £110,000 to his title, placing him simply £8,600 behind chief Neil Robertson.
Lei might want to win a qualifying match to safe his place within the attract Llandudno, with the participant who finishes prime of the cash record set to gather a £150,000 bonus.