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Q Tour
Snooker tournament
Snooker tournament
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| title | WPBSA Q Tour |
| current_season | 2025–26 Q Tour |
| logo | Q_Tour_logo.png |
| pixels | 240px |
| sport | Snooker |
| inaugural | 1994 (as the Minor Tour) |
| 2018 (current format) | |
| organiser | WPBSA |
| country | Worldwide |
| champion | By Order of Merit: |
| Zhao Xintong | |
| qualification | Q School |
| Open entry (Preliminary rounds and non-Europe events) | |
| level | 2 |
| promotion | World Snooker Tour (Main Tour) |
| tournament_format | Knockout events with play-off finals |
| website | https://wpbsa.com/events-list/wpbsa-q-tour/ |
| subdivision | Q Tour Europe |
| Q Tour Global (Americas, Asia-Pacific and Middle East) |
2018 (current format) Zhao Xintong Open entry (Preliminary rounds and non-Europe events) Q Tour Global (Americas, Asia-Pacific and Middle East)
The Q Tour, officially the WPBSA Q Tour, is a second-tier series of snooker tournaments immediately below the level of the World Snooker Tour, consisting of amateur and ex-professional players to compete for qualifying places to the main tour. It is administered by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
Originally known as the Minor Tour, UK Tour and then the Challenge Tour, the WPBSA then operated a three-level circuit with the professional main tour and the pro-am Open Tour until the end of the 2002–03 season; it was partially replaced by the International Open Series (PIOS) and subsequently the Players Tour Championship from the 2004–05 season.
The Challenge Tour was revived from the 2018–19 season after a 14-year hiatus, with only amateurs being allowed to participate. The series expanded to other European countries outside of England and rebranded to its current name from the 2021–22 season, and since the 2023–24 season regional Q Tour franchises, established under the Q Tour Global banner, are also introduced to form a full-fledged multi-continental snooker development tour. There are now over 20 Q Tour events to be held during a regular snooker season.
History
Early editions
The concept of a secondary professional tour was first experimented with in the 1994–95 season in the form of the WPBSA Minor Tour to provide competition for lower ranked professionals, but only ran for a season. A two-tiered tour structure was formally adopted from the 1997–98 season due to over-subscription of the Main Tour, where all professionals can compete in the UK Tour and the best performers could earn promotion. From the 1999–2000 season, entry was limited to players not competing on the Main Tour and exclusive membership was implemented from the 2001–02 season. From the 2000–01 season it was rebranded the Challenge Tour.
In its first season there were five events, but the number was reduced to four in the following seasons. There were two official maximum breaks at the UK Tour, both in the 1998–99 season; the first was made by Stuart Bingham against Barry Hawkins in Event 3, and the second by Nick Dyson against Adrian Gunnell in Event 4.
After the split with the English amateur governing body EASB, PIOS became another second-tier tournament, and the Challenge Tour was subsequently axed upon completion of the 2004–05 season.
Pro-am replacement
Main article: Players Tour Championship
The Pro Challenge Series was introduced for the 2009–10 season, all tour players being eligible to play. Only four of the planned seven events were played before the series was axed due to low player participation. The following 2010–11 season saw the Pro Challenge Series replaced by the Players Tour Championship, a series of minor-ranking tournaments that were open to the entire professional membership with an amateur leg, effectively making it an open tour. They also counted towards the rankings for professionals on the Main Tour, and any player who finished in the top 8 of the PTC Order of Merit was guaranteed a tour card for the following season.
Return to amateur-only event and expansion
From the 2020–21 season, the Challenge Tour was rebranded as the Q Tour (retrospectively known as Q Tour Europe). It was expanded to other regions in the form of Q Tour Global from the 2023–24 season.
Format
Q Tour events are generally played over three days with the first day being an open qualifying day.
In a Q Tour Europe event, the main draw starts on the second day when the 16 open qualifiers are joined by the 48 seeded players to form a 64-player knockout competition. It consists of the top 32 eligible players from the Q School Order of Merit, another top eight junior players who are not already qualified, and the last eight places from the Asia-Oceania version of Q School. In other regional events, entrants are largely local players and do not involve seedings.
Prize money
Q Tour Europe
Each Q Tour Europe event featured a prize fund of £30,000, with the winner receiving £6,000.
- Winner: £6,000
- Runner-up: £3,000
- Semi-final: £2,000
- Quarter-final: £1,250
- Last 16: £750
- Last 32: £350
- Total: £30,000
Event finals
| Season | Event | Winner | Runner-up | Final score | Venue | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WPBSA Minor Tour (professional non-ranking) | |||||||
| 1994–95 | Event 1 | ENG Jamie Woodman | ENG Matt Wilson | 6–2 | Antwerp | ||
| Event 2 | THA Noppadon Noppachorn | Malaysia Sammy Chong | 8–6 | Khon Kaen | |||
| Event 3 | SCO John Lardner | ENG Eddie Manning | 5–2 | Munich | |||
| Event 4 | ENG Colin Morton | ENG Matthew Couch | 6–5 | Helsinki | |||
| Event 5 | ENG David Roe | MLT Tony Drago | 6–3 | Marsaskala | |||
| Event 6 | SCO Drew Henry | WAL Mark Williams | 6–5 | Beijing | |||
| UK Tour (professional non-ranking) | |||||||
| 1997–98 | Event 1 | SCO Paul McPhillips | ENG Michael Holt | 6–5 | Aldershot | ||
| Event 2 | WAL Mark Fenton | ENG Antony Bolsover | 6–4 | Stockport | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Simon Bedford | ENG Robert Milkins | 6–4 | Swindon | |||
| Event 4 | NIR Patrick Wallace | ENG Shaun Murphy | 6–4 | Stirling | |||
| Event 5 | ENG Paul Sweeny | SCO Hugh Abernethy | 6–5 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | |||
| 1998–99 | Event 1 | ENG Alfie Burden | WAL Anthony Davies | 6–5 | Stockport | ||
| Event 2 | NIR Joe Swail | ENG Alfie Burden | 6–1 | Swindon | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Stuart Bingham | ENG Matthew Couch | 6–1 | Swindon | |||
| Event 4 | WAL James Reynolds | ENG Jason Ferguson | 6–4 | Stockport | |||
| 1999–2000 | Event 1 | ENG Matt Wilson | ENG Barry Hawkins | 6–4 | Oldham | ||
| Event 2 | ENG Andrew Higginson | SCO Scott MacKenzie | 6–3 | Swindon | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Simon Bedford | ENG Barry Hawkins | 6–5 | Stockport | |||
| Event 4 | ENG Barry Hawkins | ENG Craig Butler | 6–1 | Swindon | |||
| Challenge Tour (professional non-ranking) | |||||||
| 2000–01 | Event 1 | ENG Adrian Rosa | ENG Surinder Gill | 6–4 | Swindon | ||
| Event 2 | ENG Andrew Norman | ENG Luke Fisher | 6–3 | Harrogate | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Shaun Murphy | ENG Andrew Norman | 6–3 | Swindon | |||
| Event 4 | ENG Shaun Murphy | ENG Luke Simmonds | 6–2 | Harrogate | |||
| 2001–02 | Event 1 | WAL James Reynolds | ENG Steve Judd | 6–5 | Harrogate | ||
| Event 2 | IRL Leo Fernandez | WAL Ryan Day | 6–3 | Swindon | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Lee Spick | IRL Joe Delaney | 6–3 | Harrogate | |||
| Event 4 | ENG David Gilbert | WAL Ryan Day | 6–3 | Swindon | |||
| 2002–03 | Event 1 | ENG Chris Melling | ENG Tom Ford | 6–2 | Mansfield | ||
| Event 2 | ENG Adrian Rosa | ENG Stuart Mann | 6–5 | Swindon | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Michael Rhodes | ENG Luke Simmonds | 6–5 | Swindon | |||
| Event 4 | NOR Kurt Maflin | ENG James Leadbetter | 6–2 | Prestatyn | |||
| 2003–04 | Event 1 | ENG Stefan Mazrocis | ENG Paul Davison | 6–2 | Prestatyn | ||
| Event 2 | SCO Hugh Abernethy | ENG Gary Wilson | 6–0 | Prestatyn | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Brian Salmon | ENG Steve James | 6–1 | Prestatyn | |||
| Event 4 | ENG Gary Wilson | CHN Jin Long | 6–4 | Prestatyn | |||
| 2004–05 | Event 1 | ENG Jamie Cope | ENG Chris Norbury | 6–2 | Prestatyn | ||
| Event 2 | ENG James Tatton | ENG Matthew Barnes | 6–4 | Prestatyn | |||
| Event 3 | SCO James McBain | NIR Mark Allen | 6–3 | Prestatyn | |||
| Event 4 | ENG Jamie Cope | ENG Matthew Couch | 6–0 | Prestatyn | |||
| Challenge Tour (amateur) | |||||||
| 2018–19 | Event 1 | ENG Brandon Sargeant | ENG Luke Simmonds | 3–1 | Burton upon Trent | ||
| Event 2 | ENG David Grace | ENG Mitchell Mann | 3–0 | Preston | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Barry Pinches | WAL Jackson Page | 3–2 | Riga | |||
| Event 4 | ENG Mitchell Mann | WAL Dylan Emery | 3–0 | Fürth | |||
| Event 5 | ENG David Lilley | ENG Brandon Sargeant | 3–1 | Derby | |||
| Event 6 | ENG David Grace | ENG Ben Hancorn | 3–0 | Lommel | |||
| Event 7 | ENG Joel Walker | ENG Jenson Kendrick | 3–0 | Barnsley | |||
| Event 8 | ENG Simon Bedford | ENG David Lilley | 3–1 | Budapest | |||
| Event 9 | ENG Adam Duffy | ENG Matthew Glasby | 3–1 | Sheffield | |||
| Event 10 | ENG George Pragnell | WAL Callum Lloyd | 3–2 | Gloucester | |||
| 2019–20 | Event 1 | HKG Ka Wai Cheung | ENG Oliver Brown | 3–1 | Nuremberg | ||
| Event 2 | ENG Jake Nicholson | WAL Andrew Pagett | 3–1 | Newbury | |||
| Event 3 | WAL Andrew Pagett | NIR Robbie McGuigan | 3–0 | Leeds | |||
| Event 4 | ENG Ashley Hugill | IRE Aaron Hill | 3–1 | Bruges | |||
| Event 5 | ENG Allan Taylor | SCO Michael Collumb | 3–1 | Leicester | |||
| Event 6 | ENG Oliver Brown | ENG Ashley Hugill | 3–1 | Budapest | |||
| Event 7 | SCO Dean Young | WAL Andrew Pagett | 3–1 | Pelt | |||
| Event 8 | GER Lukas Kleckers | WAL Tyler Rees | 3–1 | Tamworth | |||
| Event 9 | ENG Ashley Hugill | ENG Sydney Wilson | 3–1 | Llanelli | |||
| Event 10 | ENG Adam Duffy | ENG Kuldesh Johal | 3–1 | Leicester | |||
| Tour Playoff | ENG Allan Taylor | ENG Adam Duffy | 4–0 | Sheffield | |||
| Q Tour (amateur) | |||||||
| 2021–22 | Event 1 | ENG David Lilley | CHN Si Jiahui | 5–1 | Brighton | ||
| Event 2 | CHN Si Jiahui | WAL Michael White | 5–4 | Llanelli | |||
| Event 3 | ENG Sean O'Sullivan | BEL Julien Leclercq | 5–2 | Leicester | |||
| Event 4 | NIR Robbie McGuigan | SCO Michael Collumb | 5–3 | Leeds | |||
| Playoff | BEL Julien Leclercq | ENG Alex Clenshaw | 5–2 | Darlington | |||
| 2022–23 | Event 1 | SCO Ross Muir | ENG George Pragnell | 5–2 | North Shields | ||
| Event 2 | ENG Martin O'Donnell | ENG George Pragnell | 5–1 | Brighton | |||
| Event 3 | PAK Farakh Ajaib | ENG Harvey Chandler | 5–3 | Mons | |||
| Event 4 | ENG Billy Castle | ENG Andrew Higginson | 5–4 | Stockholm | |||
| Event 5 | WAL Daniel Wells | ENG Sydney Wilson | 5–2 | Walsall | |||
| Event 6 | ENG Martin O'Donnell | SCO Ross Muir | 5–1 | Leeds | |||
| Playoff | ENG Ashley Carty | AUT Florian Nüßle | 5–2 | Darlington | |||
| 2023–24 | Event 1 | WAL Liam Davies | ENG Craig Steadman | 5–2 | North Shields | ||
| Event 2 | ENG Michael Holt | WAL Liam Davies | 5–2 | Stockholm | |||
| Event 3 | GER Umut Dikme | ENG Hamim Hussain | 5–1 | Heilbronn | |||
| Event 4 | POL Antoni Kowalski | JAM Rory McLeod | 5–3 | Great Wyrley | |||
| Event 5 | ENG Michael Holt | ENG Daniel Womersley | 5–1 | Brighton | |||
| Event 6 | ENG Michael Holt | WAL Alfie Davies | 5–4 | Sofia | |||
| Event 7 | ENG Peter Lines | GER Umut Dikme | 5–1 | Leeds | |||
| Playoff 1 | WAL Duane Jones | WAL Liam Davies | 10–9 | Sarajevo | |||
| Playoff 2 | IRN Amir Sarkhosh | UKR Iulian Boiko | 10–8 | ||||
| Playoff 3 | UAE Mohamed Shehab | HKG Yu Kiu Chang | 10–8 | ||||
| 2024–25 | Event 1 | EST Andres Petrov | AUS Ryan Thomerson | 4–3 | Leeds | ||
| Event 2 | WAL Dylan Emery | ENG Harvey Chandler | 4–3 | Sofia | |||
| Event 3 | CHN Zhao Xintong | ENG Craig Steadman | 4–3 | Stockholm | |||
| Event 4 | CHN Zhao Xintong | ENG Ryan Davies | 4–2 | Manchester | |||
| Event 5 | CHN Zhao Xintong | AUS Ryan Thomerson | 4–2 | Vienna | |||
| Event 6 | CHN Zhao Xintong | IRN Ehsan Heydari Nezhad | 4–1 | Mons | |||
| Event 7 | ENG Liam Highfield | WAL Dylan Emery | 4–3 | Walsall | |||
| Playoff 1 | ENG Steven Hallworth | ENG Mark Joyce | 10–5 | Antalya | |||
| Playoff 2 | ENG Liam Highfield | UKR Iulian Boiko | 10–3 | ||||
| Playoff 3 | AUT Florian Nüßle | EST Andres Petrov | 10–3 |
Order of Merit winners
| Season | Winner |
|---|---|
| UK Tour (professional non-ranking) | |
| 1997–98 | SCO Paul McPhillips |
| 1998–99 | ENG Alfie Burden |
| 1999–2000 | ENG Barry Hawkins |
| Challenge Tour (professional non-ranking) | |
| 2000–01 | ENG Shaun Murphy |
| 2001–02 | WAL Ryan Day |
| 2002–03 | ENG Martin Gould |
| 2003–04 | ENG Brian Salmon |
| 2004–05 | ENG Jamie Cope |
| Challenge Tour (amateur) | |
| 2018–19 | ENG Brandon Sargeant |
| 2019–20 | ENG Ashley Hugill |
| Q Tour (amateur) | |
| 2021–22 | CHN Si Jiahui |
| 2022–23 | ENG Martin O'Donnell |
| 2023–24 | ENG Michael Holt |
| 2024–25 | CHN Zhao Xintong |
References
References
- (26 April 2002). "2000 / 2001 Challenge Tour". The Frank Callan Suite.
- Hendon, Dave. (30 June 2009). "Pro Challenge Series Launched". Snooker Scene.
- Hendon, Dave. (2 March 2010). "Pro Challenge Series Axed". Snooker Scene.
- (22 June 2010). "Players Tour Championship pits stars against amateurs". [[BBC]].
- Turner, Chris. "Players Tour Championship". Chris Turner's Snooker Archive.
- (7 February 2018). "World Snooker Challenge Tour 2018/19". [[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]].
- (2020-07-21). "WPBSA Q Tour Launched".
- (10 September 2021). "WPBSA Q Tour 2021/22".
- (24 June 2024). "WPBSA Q Tour Global Expanded for 2024/25".
- Hayton, Eric. (2004). "The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker". Rose Villa Publications.
- "2002-3 WSA Challenge Tour Event One". Global Snooker Centre.
- "2002-3 WSA Challenge Tour Event Two". Global Snooker Centre.
- "2002-3 WSA Challenge Tour Event Three". Global Snooker Centre.
- "2002-3 WSA Challenge Tour Event 4". Global Snooker Centre.
- "Pontins World Snooker Challenge Tour - Event 1". Global Snooker Centre.
- "Pontins World Snooker Challenge Tour - Event 2". Global Snooker Centre.
- "Pontins World Snooker Challenge Tour - Event 3". Global Snooker Centre.
- "Pontins World Snooker Challenge Tour - Event 4". Global Snooker Centre.
- "2004-5 Pontin's Challenge Tour - Event One". Global Snooker Centre.
- "2004-5 Pontin's Challenge Tour - Event Two". Global Snooker Centre.
- "2004-5 Pontin's Challenge Tour - Event Three". Global Snooker Centre.
- "2004-5 Pontin's Challenge Tour - Event Four". Global Snooker Centre.
- "WPBSA Secondary Professional Tour". Chris Turner's Snooker Archive.
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