HARVEY CHANDLER has earned himself a professional tour card after claiming the 2018 European Men's Snooker Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Chandler, who has already competed in ranking events on the World Professional Tour, joined the long list of illustrious names on the tournament trophy including the likes of 2018 Masters Champion Mark Allen and the China Championship winner Luca Brecel.
Chandler, just 22, is the eighth English player to have won the title after defeating the Northern Irish prospect Jordan Brown in the final. Brown is eight years Chandler's senior, 30.
It was a comprehensive 7-2 win for Chandler, who held his nerve in the last frame with a break of 80 plus to turn his dream of becoming a pro Snooker Player into reality.
Chandler has been a familiar name on the EASB tour and other tours. And, last year he managed to whizz past the qualifying rounds of the Paul Hunter Classic in Furth, Germany, where he reached the last 64 after beating promising Chinese player Li Yuan 4-2.
Up A Level
In the past, Chandler has secured wins against top players including current pro Mark King, the northern Irish Open Champion 2016 and former snooker professional Barry Pinches.
After his Paul Hunter Classic encounter, he commented on the West of England Billiard and Snooker Foundation website: "It was the best experience of my snooker career so far to have my name called out by the master of ceremonies as I was walking out to hundreds of cheering German fans, it was a real buzz."
He added: "I loved every second and felt at home there."
Well, Chandler now has the chance to feel at home for real on the pro tour as next season he is likely to come up against some top players.
But, with his strength of break-building and potting, he is sure to make an impact quickly on the pro circuit.
Billy Castle, for example, who turned pro this season, has already made a steady impact on the tour - and his best finish so far was a last 16 in the European Masters which was eventually won for the second time by Judd Trump.
Chandler's highest break in competition is 138 but he's made maximums in practice.
Graduated with honours
However, it was a different story earlier on in the week as the German Simon Lichtenberg was denied a tour card due to the politics going on between Federations. Lichtenberg would have been the second player on the Pro Tour circuit.
Funnily enough, Chandler has been playing the EASB English Amateur Tour events and was the runner-up in those, and, was on route to play in Q-School this year. However, Chandler will no longer have to endure the gruelling school of snooker hard knocks in May when hundreds of players try to become a handful of graduates and make their dreams come true as pro snooker players.
According to a video on Youtube, Chandler can be aptly nicknamed "The Obliterator," and, in the final in Sofia, he certainly lived up to that nickname.
