UK Open Preview

The first major of the year is already upon us just a couple of days after New Year's Day. Chris Hawkins previews this year's event for us.

This weekend sees Len and Linda Moir's 13th staging of one of, if not the richest UK event, the UK Open. Once more, the hot favourite is Nigel Richards looking to win it for the 11th time, and the 5th time in succession (if you don’t count 2015 when he didn’t enter, in fact he has won it 9 times in a row in the years he has entered).

Looking to stop him are, amongst others, Ed Martin, Paul Allan (who won in 2015 in Nigel's absence), Natalie Zolty (who finished second to him in last year’s Warmup event), Wayne Kelly and Bob Linn, all 180+ players themselves. There are plenty of others in attendance who will also be out to give him a run for his money, including Theresa Camilleri, who has beaten him 5 times (in 21 attempts) at this event in previous years, Calum Edwards (2 wins out of 8), Steve Perry (5 wins out of 22) and most infamously of all, Mick Healy who has a 100% record against Nigel at the UK Open (2 wins out of 2).

Nigel has won 452 and lost 105 of his 557 games at the UK Open (including, Warmup and Final Fling events) and his best tourney average score was in 2017 when he averaged 490.3 across 30 games on his way to pipping Austin Shin to the title (24-6 to Austin's 25-5). His all time average for all his Main Event appearances is 469.7.

You will be able to follow the event round by round from tomorrow, the appropriate links will be shared as soon as they are known.