Michael Holt celebrates historic 147 as Jimmy White tumbles out of China Open snooker qualifying

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Veteran potters Jimmy White and Michael Holt endured an evening of contrasting emotions in the second round qualifying for the China Open in Leicester on Thursday.

White sinks sensational 112 against O'Sullivan in China Open qualifying

Video credit: TNT Sports

While White lost 6-2 to local favourite Louis Heathcote at the city's Mattioli Arena, former Shoot Out winner Holt was producing the first 147 of his 30-year professional career in a 6-1 win over Mark Joyce.

Joyce managed to stave off the whitewash with a break of 80 in the fifth frame, but it was all one-way traffic apart from that as Holt rolled in knocks of 54, 84, 71 and 64 with the 242nd maximum in the modern era coming in the third frame.

It means the first maximum of the new season has been compiled on the second day of the new term after a record 24 were produced in the 2025/26 campaign.

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His reward is a meeting with Noppon Saengkham at 09:30 on Saturday morning in the third qualifying round of the season's first ranking event.

But Jimmy White's hopes of a trip to China for the final stages next month (August 8-16 live on TNT Sports and HBO Max) are over.

After producing a 112 break in a 6-2 win over Sean O'Sullivan on Wednesday, the six-time world finalist went down by the same scoreline to Heathcote, who top scored with breaks of 70 and 75 with two 50+ breaks from White only good enough to win two frames.

Heathcote will take on Yuan Sijun on Saturday morning, while White will return to Leicester to face Jiang Jun for the opening Wuhan Open qualifiers at 19:00 on Monday night.

'Wasn't that subtle' - Unusual scenes as marker calls foul on Holt

Video credit: TNT Sports

Elsewhere, Peter Lines ran out a 6-3 winner against Bai Yulu, while Marco Fu was in sparkling form in a 6-1 win over Oliver Brown seeing the Hong Kong player run in 134 and three more breaks over 70.

The China Open has returned to the main circuit after a seven-year absence, with four qualifying rounds being staged in Leicester between June 10-14.

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