Murphy Is Players Champ
Shaun Murphy claimed the inaugural Players Tour Championship title and with it a cheque for £60,000 after a four-frames-to-nil win against Martin Gould in the final held at Dublin’s Helix Theatre.
The score line, flattering the 2005 world champion as Gould had chances to win all four frames.
Gould, competing in his first major final, failed to settle and find the kind of form that helped him sneak past two-time Masters champion, Mark Selby in the previous round.
He said, “I didn’t want to lose but in my heart of hearts I had reached a goal by getting to the final.”
The match brought to a close, the PTC Series which began in Sheffield last June and included events in Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
Both Murphy and Gould have been big supporters of the new PTC event and played in all twelve Series Events, although the eventual champion made a less than perfect start.
He lost his opening match in two of the first three events against Mitchell Mann, a talented 18-year-old from Birmingham and Martin O’Donnell, another improver who is currently assistant professional at London’s plush RAC club.
Murphy eventually got his PTC campaign going with victory in the ISCA sponsored Bruges Open, reaching the final in Hamm and adding a couple of semi-final places to help him finish top of the Order of Merit.
“It has been great to be playing in so many events, and it has made the standard of play go through the roof, as I expected it would.
“I am delighted to win the first PTC and I am already looking forward to the event’s second season”, he said after being presented with the trophy by the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
