'Granite' Gray's barely believable run of form continued with a sixth in seven events
Mark ‘Granite’ Gray’s barely believable run of form continued with victory in the final event of the International Rules Pool Over 40’s Tour at the MK Sports Bar & Lounge in Newport Pagnell.
Gray has now won six of his last seven tournaments, a stunning achievement in a sport known for volatile results.
Gray beat friend and former Ultimate Pool Professional Lewis Roberts from Stamford 8-3 in the final, after the players had decided to split the prize money and play for the title and trophy. Both took home £625.
Gray should really have lost in the first round to Cambridgeshire’s Rich Shipton. He was 4-1 down in a race to 6 when Shipton missed a golden chance to make it 5-1. And Gray looked beaten in a deciding frame until Shipton ran out of position late into a simple clearance.
Gray improved to beat Farnborough’s Allan Gomez 6-1, Stroud’s Iain Crockett 6-3, Pete Mullaney from Norwich 7-5 and Andy Williams from Gloucestershire 7-3 to reach the final. Mullaney and Williams are also former Ultimate Pool professionals.
Roberts had beaten Bourne’s Jason Bates 6-3 in his last-16 tie.
The win confirmed Gray’s status as the number one over 40 player on the tour despite playing English pool seriously for just four years.
The 52 year-old is next in action in the big IRPT Amateur Championship event at the Castle Sports Lounge in Tamworth in a fortnight when 128 players will compete for the £3,200 winner’s purse.