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Kayden Brierley Wins English Amateur Tour Title
Kayden Brierley defeated John Welsh 4-2 in the final of last weekend’s English Amateur Tour event at Club 200 in Manchester.
The 22-year-old came through a field of 78 cueists to join former professionals Liam Highfield and Barry Pinches as winners of events on England’s flagship amateur tour during the 2024/25 season.
Brierley compiled six half-centuries in three matches on the opening day as he defeated Richard Binns, Craig Butler and Halim Hussain to book his place in the last 16.
Breaks of 70, 105 and 60 saw him overcome Ant Parsons in a final frame decider before Brierley followed this up with a whitewash victory over Aidan Murphy to reach the semi-finals.
Former professional Kuldesh Johal stood between Brierley and the second English Amateur Tour event final of his career. Despite dropping the opening frame to his 44-year-old opponent, he was able to get over the line 4-2 victor to reach the title match.
There, he would face 60-year-old John Welsh after the former English Seniors and English Over-55’s national champion had beaten Jake Crofts, Patrick Whelan and finally Hayden Staniland in a dramatic deciding frame on the concluding day.
Brierley made a powerful start to the best-of-seven final contest as breaks of 57, 83 and 66 saw him race into a 3-0 lead and move one away from glory.
Welsh rallied by taking the next two frames to reduce the deficit to just one, but a further break of 66 from Brierley in frame six saw him secure the first English Amateur Tour title of his career.
