Championship League Group 7

2010 Championship League winner Marco Fu denied Stephen
maguire a place in the Winners' Group after beating him 3-0 in
the final of Group 7.

Marco Fu secured the last remaining spot in the Winner’s Group with a 3-0 victory over Stephen Maguire in the Group 7 final.

It was Maguire’s fourth consecutive group final after previously losing to Mark Allen, Martin Gould and Barry Hawkins but he found himself behind as Fu won the first frame 79-39. Fu was also going well in the second until he ran aground on 54 which allowed Magurie a chance to fight back. Despite missing the black after the penultimate red, the Scot got another chance but had to clear up. However, he left himself short on the last black which meant there was a tricky cut into the yellow pocket but he wobbled it over the pocket, allowing Fu to snatch the frame. The man from Hong Kong also dominated the third, making a break of 93 to secure the match.

Fu was the inform player in the group, finishing top after winning five of his six games and he also whitewashed fourth-placed Robert Milkins with top breaks of 56 and 89 in the semi-finals. Maguire meanwhile defeated Andrew Higginson 3-1 in the other semi. He won the opener with a break of 80 and although Higginson took the next with a 53, the Scot won the next two to seal the victory.

Tom Ford finished the group in sixth but was not helped after he had to forfeit his first match against Andrew Higginson as he had not arrived back from the PTC Finals in Galway in time. He was sandwiched by Welsh duo Dominic Dale who finished fifth with three wins and Ryan Day who finished bottom after winning only one of his matches, against Milkins.

Fu will join other group winners John Higgins, Mark Allen, Ding Junhui, Martin Gould, Barry Hawkins and Ali Carter tomorrow for the winners’ group.