Hat-Trick Hero Pragnell Wins in Woking

George Pragnell continues to enjoy an incredible season on the top levels of snooker’s amateur circuit after winning last weekend’s 2022/23 English Amateur Snooker Tour Event 4 at the Woking Snooker Centre. 

• Event 4 Results and Breaks

Pragnell began the weekend in Surrey with a handy advantage at the top of the Tour rankings after triumphing at Events 1 and 2 in Hull and Leicester, respectively, earlier in the term. However, the Norwich cueman would extend his points lead and be celebrating a brilliant hat-trick of EAST titles come the end. 

The 27-year-old defeated Matthew Glasby 4-2 and Luke Newman 4-0 in the early rounds before rattling in breaks of 70, 51, 70 and 85 as he denied youngster Liam Pullen 4-2 in the quarter-finals. Teenager Pullen – who is also having a memorable campaign – had earlier in the day constructed a break of 142, the highest on this season’s Tour, so far, and an effort that would see him pocket the high break prize. 

Next day, Pragnell returned and eliminated Lee Shanker 4-1 in the last four to reach his fifth big final of the season already.

On the other side of the draw, another form player in Martin O’Donnell made it through to the title match. 

The Londoner scored several half centuries during his opening round wins over Labeeb Ahmed 4-1 and Adam Goff 4-0 before crafting back-to-back breaks of 135 to start off his match against fellow former professional Harvey Chandler in the last eight. Later, O’Donnell also struck 51 and 81 in a 4-2 win. 

On Sunday, the 36-year-old was involved in a dramatic semi-final tie against Patrick Whelan. He opened up with a run of 112 but Whelan claimed the next three frames to move one away from the final. O’Donnell, though, came back with a trio of frames himself – taking the deciding frame on the colours. 

For the third time this season, Pragnell and O’Donnell faced each other in a big amateur final. O’Donnell defeated Pragnell in the final of Q Tour Event 2 in Brighton, but Pragnell turned the tables at the Winchester in EAST Event 2. 

And, Pragnell was once again an event champion on England’s premier national amateur snooker circuit, as he registered breaks of 66, 60 and 63 in a 4-0 victory.