PTC event 1 Sheffield

 Written by Rachael Rodgers

The first PTC of the season started on Friday, it had to be extended due to the amount of interest in taking part it was reported that it had an increase of at least 50%.
  Monday saw the start of the professional tour seeing the greats of Ronnie O'Sullivan who looked relaxed and happy to be in Sheffield and to be playing snooker again. This was a positive sign especially after last season that saw the Rocket drop down the ranking to number 9 in the world a position many would kill for but one that Ronnie hasn't seen for many years.  This was due to Ronnie's lack of love for the game last season and problems in his personal life.
   Ronnie's first round match was against a returning player Mike Hallett at first fans held their breath as it appeared that teh new confident and happy Ronnie had returned the mixed up and lost player of last season, as he slipped to 2-0 down thankfully the Rocket found his fight and came back to win 4-2. He then at 5 pm met Andy Hicks and saw him at 4-1, the rocket was back playing the same way he did in the 90's when he was the World Champion and World Number 1.  Ronnie finsihed off the late night which had seen game starting to over run by lunch time and had a knock on effect for every match following. Ronnie saw off Bjorn Haneever 4-0 to clami his place in Wednesdays Semi finals where he will meet Martin Gould, who made a impressive come back from 3-0 against Nigel Bond to win 4-3.
 "I don't know how I won to be fair, Nigel should have won 4-0 he deserved to, he lost the game from two blacks off there spot." Commented Martin Gould, his match ended at 12.30 am  he must be happy that he has a day off to settle into the idea of facing Ronnie at 10am.

One player who has captured a lot of attention through the first part of the PTC has to be David Gilbert, who has gone through Q School to join the professional tour, he has put the end to many long time professional players and showen that he more that deserves his place in the professional side of the game.
 David Gilbert put an end to Judd Trump's attempt at winning the PTC beating him 4-1, then seeing off Jamie Cope 4-2 and finally with an extremely late finish he put at end to Jimmy White 4-1.  Personally I think David Gilbert looks as though he is a force to be reckoned with and certainly a player to watch, this season.

Shock results have to be that the top sixteen players, have been booted out int he first rounds Shaun Murphy and John Higgins being the biggest names to suffer an early eviction from the PTC.

The shining star of the event had to be Ronnie O'Sullivan, who took the first event, putting behind him a tough season and being his first win in 6 months. We welcome back the Rocket and look forward to the up and coming events.