Michael White (snooker player)
Encyclopedia
Michael White is a Welsh
professional snooker
player from Neath
. He is the resident professional at the Whitez Snooker Club in the Uplands, Swansea
.
commented: 'I hope I've retired before I have to play him!'
He won a number of junior and later amateur events, and in 2006 became the youngest ever winner of the IBSF World Grand Prix, winning it aged 14. He also won the European under-19 Championship, beating Vincent Muldoon
in the final.
He turned professional for the 2007/2008
season, but he wasn't allowed to play in the first ranking event of the season, the 2007 Shanghai Masters as it fell short of his 16th birthday which allowed his opponent Lee Walker
a walkover. Previously Shaun Murphy
had been allowed to play aged 15.
qualifying, he shocked Leicester
player Tom Ford
4–0, however he lost to eventual champion Barry Hawkins
5-2 in the following round.
His first season on the Main Tour was relatively unsuccessful, winning only four matches in the seven ranking events.
In his first ranking tournament, the Grand Prix
, he finished last in his group, beating Tony Drago
but losing his other 6 matches. His most successful run was beating Shailesh Jogia
10–4 in the first round of the World Championship
qualifiers, but he lost 10–4 to Barry Pinches
in the next. These results meant that he dropped off the Main Tour, but gave him good experience.
He regained a place on the Main Tour for the 2009/2010 Season
by finishing top of the Welsh rankings.
In the qualifiers for the 2009 Shanghai Masters
he beat former world champion John Parrott
5–0 (who later joked "I hope I retire before I have to play him...again" in reference to his earlier comment) before losing 5–3 to Mark Davis
. His best run during the season was to the last 48 of the UK Championship, with victories over Daniel Wells
, Jin Long
and Jamie Burnett
before losing 9–4 to Liang Wenbo
. This meant that by the end of the season he had done enough to retain his tour status.
, including a 5–1 win over Dominic Dale
, before losing to Peter Ebdon
by the same scoreline. A consistent season saw him retain his tour place.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
professional snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
player from Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
. He is the resident professional at the Whitez Snooker Club in the Uplands, Swansea
Uplands, Swansea
Uplands is a suburb of Swansea, Wales. It lies about a mile to the west of Swansea city centre, and falls within the Uplands electoral ward. It is centred around the A4118 road, which links Swansea city centre and Sketty. The main road begins as Walter Road from the east, and becomes Sketty Road...
.
Early career
White first showed potential by becoming the youngest player to have made a century break: he made a break of 105 in March 2001, when he was aged nine years old. In 2001, he was invited to the Crucible, where John ParrottJohn Parrott
John Parrott MBE is an English professional snooker player and TV personality.He won the World Snooker Championship in 1991, defeating Jimmy White in the final. Two years earlier he had lost 3–18 to Steve Davis, the heaviest final defeat in modern times...
commented: 'I hope I've retired before I have to play him!'
He won a number of junior and later amateur events, and in 2006 became the youngest ever winner of the IBSF World Grand Prix, winning it aged 14. He also won the European under-19 Championship, beating Vincent Muldoon
Vincent Muldoon
Vincent Muldoon is an Irish professional snooker player. After being a successful junior player , he became a professional in 2008...
in the final.
He turned professional for the 2007/2008
Snooker season 2007/2008
The Snooker Season 2007/2008 was a series of snooker tournaments played during 2007 and 2008. The following table outlines the results and dates for all the ranking and major invitational events...
season, but he wasn't allowed to play in the first ranking event of the season, the 2007 Shanghai Masters as it fell short of his 16th birthday which allowed his opponent Lee Walker
Lee Walker
Lee Walker is a Welsh professional snooker player.Walker reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship in 1997, with victories over Dave Harold 10–7 and Alan McManus 13–10, before he lost 13–8 to Alain Robidoux...
a walkover. Previously Shaun Murphy
Shaun Murphy (snooker player)
Shaun Murphy is an English professional snooker player, who won the 2005 World Championship. Nicknamed "The Magician", Murphy is noted for his straight cue action and his long potting. He is known for his dedication and for being a devout Christian.Born in Harlow, England, Murphy turned...
had been allowed to play aged 15.
Turning professional
In his first professional match, the MastersMasters (snooker)
The Masters is a professional snooker tournament and the second longest running tournament outside the World Championship. Although not a ranking event, it is regarded as one of the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit, earning the second biggest prize money.-History:The tournament was held...
qualifying, he shocked Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
player Tom Ford
Tom Ford (snooker player)
-External links:*...
4–0, however he lost to eventual champion Barry Hawkins
Barry Hawkins
Barry Hawkins is an English professional snooker player. He has reached three ranking semi-finals, and spent five seasons inside the top 32 of the rankings. He has also played in the World Championship the last six years running.-Early career:Before taking up snooker professionally he was an...
5-2 in the following round.
His first season on the Main Tour was relatively unsuccessful, winning only four matches in the seven ranking events.
In his first ranking tournament, the Grand Prix
Grand Prix (snooker)
The World Open is a professional ranking snooker tournament. It has previously been known as the Professional Players Tournament, the LG Cup and the Grand Prix. During 2006 and 2007, it was played in a unique round-robin format, more similar to association football and rugby tournaments than the...
, he finished last in his group, beating Tony Drago
Tony Drago
Tony Drago is a professional snooker and pool player from Malta. He won the 2003 World Pool Masters Tournament beating Hsia Hui-kai 8–6 and also reached the quarter finals of the World Snooker Championship...
but losing his other 6 matches. His most successful run was beating Shailesh Jogia
Shailesh Jogia
Shailesh Jogia, commonly known as "Joe", is a British professional snooker player of Indian extraction, born in Leicester, England on 13 November 1975. He lives in the Hertfordshire town of Letchworth.he now lives back in leicester...
10–4 in the first round of the World Championship
World Snooker Championship
The World Snooker Championship is the leading professional snooker tournament in terms of both prize money and ranking points. The first championship was held in 1927; since 1977, it has been played at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England...
qualifiers, but he lost 10–4 to Barry Pinches
Barry Pinches
-External links:**...
in the next. These results meant that he dropped off the Main Tour, but gave him good experience.
He regained a place on the Main Tour for the 2009/2010 Season
Snooker season 2009/2010
The snooker season 2009/10 was a series of snooker tournaments played during 2009 and 2010. The following table outlines the results and dates for all the ranking and major invitational events.- Calendar :- Official rankings :...
by finishing top of the Welsh rankings.
In the qualifiers for the 2009 Shanghai Masters
Shanghai Masters 2009
-Final:-Qualifying:These matches took place between 3 and 6 August 2009 at the Pontin's Centre, Prestatyn, Wales.-Qualifying stages centuries:*138 Dominic Dale*135 Gerard Greene*129, 120 Jordan Brown*127 Martin Gould*126 Mark Davis...
he beat former world champion John Parrott
John Parrott
John Parrott MBE is an English professional snooker player and TV personality.He won the World Snooker Championship in 1991, defeating Jimmy White in the final. Two years earlier he had lost 3–18 to Steve Davis, the heaviest final defeat in modern times...
5–0 (who later joked "I hope I retire before I have to play him...again" in reference to his earlier comment) before losing 5–3 to Mark Davis
Mark Davis (snooker player)
Mark Davis is an English professional snooker player from St. Leonards in Sussex, England. The highlights of his career so far have been winning the Benson & Hedges Championship in 2002 – earning him an appearance at the Masters – and winning the 2009 Six-red World Championship.- Career :Davis...
. His best run during the season was to the last 48 of the UK Championship, with victories over Daniel Wells
Daniel Wells (snooker player)
Daniel Wells is a Welsh professional snooker player, from Neath.-Early career:He was awarded the inaugural Paul Hunter Scholarship. This gave him the chance to practise in the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, alongside professional players, such as Peter Ebdon and Ding Junhui.He first qualified...
, Jin Long
Jin Long
Jin Long is a Chinese professional snooker player. He has managed to regain a Main Tour place by winning the 2008 Asian Championship, beating Aditya Mehta 7–3 in the final, having had spells on the tour on three previous occasions...
and Jamie Burnett
Jamie Burnett
Jamie Burnett is a professional snooker player from Hamilton, Scotland.-Career:During the qualifying stages of the 2004 UK Championship, he achieved the impressive feat of becoming the first ever player to compile a break over 147 in a professional match, in which he made a break of 148 against...
before losing 9–4 to Liang Wenbo
Liang Wenbo
Liang Wenbo is a Chinese professional snooker player. He is left-handed and ranked as China's number 2 player, after Ding Junhui. Liang is based at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, England, United Kingdom.-Career:...
. This meant that by the end of the season he had done enough to retain his tour status.
2010/2011
He started the new season by winning three qualifying matches in the 2010 Shanghai Masters2010 Shanghai Masters
The 2010 Roewe Shanghai Masters professional ranking snooker tournament took place between 6–12 September 2010 at the Shanghai Grand Stage, Shanghai, China.Ronnie O'Sullivan was the defending champion, but he has withdrawn due to personal reasons....
, including a 5–1 win over Dominic Dale
Dominic Dale
-External links:**...
, before losing to Peter Ebdon
Peter Ebdon
Peter "Ebbo" Ebdon is an English professional snooker player and former world champion renowned for his remarkably focused, determined style of play.-Early years:...
by the same scoreline. A consistent season saw him retain his tour place.