(Credit: SBI – David Causier is the 2023 World Matchplay Champion)
Champion: David Causier
Runner Up: Peter Sheehan
David Causier successfully defended the sport’s second biggest major title when he defeated Peter Sheehan 8-1 in the final of the 2023 World Matchplay Billiards Championship.
Held at and sponsored by the Snooker & Billiards Ireland Academy in Carlow, the prestigious level six World Billiards ranking event was the main course of a big double-header on the Emerald Isle. Last week, Peter Gilchrist claimed the Irish Open title.
Representatives from nine different countries qualified for the five-day Championship, with round robin action taking place across the opening three days, followed by the knockout rounds.
World champion and world number one Causier recovered quickly from his loss in the Irish Open final here by topping Group A with a 100% record. In fact, he only dropped one game – during a 4-1 victory against Steve Brookshaw – as he made it through to the last 16 where he eliminated Chris Coumbe 5-0 with the help of five breaks of 65 or more.
Due to their seeding positions from the groups phase, fans were treated to a blockbuster clash in the quarter-finals as Causier and Gilchrist – the top two ranked players in the world – squared off in Carlow again.
In a typically high-quality and entertaining affair, despite four-time world champion Gilchrist registering four century breaks and a 96, it was Middlesbrough cueist Causier who emerged a 6-5 victor as he crafted an unfinished effort of 104 in the deciding game.
The 49-year-old would be embroiled in yet another ding-dong in the semi-finals when he faced world number three Rob Hall.
Reigning Belgian Open champion Hall looked on course for the final as he hit several sizable contributions on his way to a 5-1 advantage. However, the contest flipped on resumption after the interval, as Causier strung together the next six games for a 7-5 comeback win.
Emerging from the other side of the draw was Sheehan, who reached his maiden world final.
The Merseyside talent has not long since returned to the top echelons of billiards, and he began a memorable week on the other side of the Irish Sea by winning all four of his group games 5-0 to finish top of Group G.
Following respective victories against Brookshaw (5-1) and Darren Clark (6-0) in the last 16 and quarter-finals, Sheehan was involved in an epic last four tie with Ryan Mears, claiming the deciding frame for a 7-6 win.
In front of a live audience at the venue and online, Causier began the final very well with unfinished breaks of 76 and 101 to establish a 2-0 lead.
Sheehan opened his account in game three with a 94 unfinished, but Causier stomped his authority for the remainder of the match, constructing breaks of 92 unfinished, 101 unfinished, 56, 101 unfinished, 81 and 59 as he superbly rattled off six successive games to retain the title.
This latest glory is Causier’s sixth ranking triumph of yet another sterling season.
Report published by the WPBSA.
You can see a full list of the results & breaks here. For the video playlist from the event, please visit our YouTube gallery.
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