After a lean season, Phil Burford produced a performance of maturity combined with flair to get one over on 'The Hitman', Raj Hundal. A superb display of the in vogue 'power cut-break' saw Burford to a convincing nine racks to four victory to claim the 2010 GB9 Daventry Pro Cup 2 at the Barcelo Daventry Hotel.
The 19 year old cueist from Darlington pockets £1000 for his efforts over Saturday 25th September, with stand-out victories including 9-5 over former European number one, Mark Gray and a 9-0 demolition over Scotland's Jayson Shaw. “Obviously it feels good to win, I've played well all day and I feel as though I've deserved it. I'm just happy to get back to how I was playing when the GB9 first started”. Burford made the first two Pro Cup finals in the GB 9 Ball Tour's inaugural year but fell at the final hurdle on both occasions. Damaged equipment and a subsequent loss of form halted 'The Locomotive's progress but the ability that first pointed to him being Great Britain's great, young hope looks to be back. “I've got to thank Stan Shuffet who's my girlfriend's father and a great pool coach, he's showed me certain aiming systems, he has replanned my game. He was watching from over in the States on Cuesport TV so I hope I put on a good show for him”.
Raj Hundal smoothed-stroked his way to a final berth with victories over Kevin Uzzell and Craig Osborne, both 9-5, and in the semi-final, a master-class of safety and opportunism rewarded him with a 9-3 win over 'The Yeti', Michael Valentine. As always, Hundal was not lost for words after the final; “I've actually been in bed all week ill from travelling although it's not like I'm the biggest 'practiser' in the world anyway, not like when I was younger when I'd be down the pool hall all day...I used to get some action then too! Why aren't I practising as much now? Pool just happens to be something I'm good at, to be honest, sometimes I wish it wasn't”. Hundal says this with so little arrogance that, although unfathomable to the regular player, it's hard to doubt that Hundal is genuinely a reluctant hero in the sport. Not without appreciation for the better man on the day though, Hundal said, “I'm happy for Phil, he's a talented kid and I hope it takes him somewhere in the future. Obviously the breaking conditions suit him in these events because that's the first time he's ever beaten me.”
GB9 is proudly sponsored by Barcelo Hotels, SAM Leisure, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Billiard Balls and Mezz Cues; making the perfect combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.
