7:53pm Saturday 5th July 2008
MARK WILLIAMS is back in action on Monday as he prepares for his bid to regain his status among snooker's elite top 16 on the main professional tour.
The Cwm-born double world champion is at number 22 on the list and, therefore, needs to qualify for the final stages of ranking events for the first time in a decade.
But there were signs that the 33-year-old, who won the world titles in 2000 and 2003, is on his way back after some decent results towards the end of last season.
Now he gets some early practice ahead of the first ranking tournament qualifiers of the season next month at the Tredegar Cons Club Pro-Am Championships in Newport.
And for local Newport players Stephen Price and Michael Griffiths it is a huge carrot on the end of their first round match as the winner takes on Williams for a place in the quarter-finals.
Newport Challenge Tour player Andrew Rogers will be on the other table at the Cons Club while Price and Griffiths are having their match but faces a huge task to reach the second round.
Rogers is up against newly-crowned Welsh amateur champion Jamie Jones, who is on his way back to the professional main tour next month after a year off it. The winner then takes on former world amateur champion Michael White.
The tournament resumes on Thursday July 10 where Blackwood's Andrew Pagett, about to enter the main tour for the first time, plays ex-World Championships referee Paul Collier for the chance to take on former UK and Masters champion Matthew Stevens in round two.
Other big names in the weekly tournament, which ends on August 21 with the final, include Wales' highest ranked professional, Ryan Day, from Pontycymmer, who is at number eight next season, former World Championships semi-finalist and reigning World Masters champion Darren Morgan, plus defending TCC champion Paul Davies, from Barry.
Tickets for the tournament, which has a £3,000 prize fund with £1,750 going to the winner, are just £2 and available by ringing 01633 761854.
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk