Tom Ford enjoys more Leicester success as he books his place in final winners' group of Championship League
Updated 04/01/2026 at 16:04 GMT
Tom Ford claimed last season's Shoot Out title in his home city of Leicester. And the world No. 28 enjoyed being back on familiar territory on Saturday as he booked his spot in the final winners' group of the Championship League. A 3-1 win over Jackson Page ensured Ford a return to the Mattioli Arena next month. The Masters, starting next Sunday, is live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Ford makes winning break in final minute to beat Graham for Snooker Shoot Out glory
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tom Ford enjoyed some more home comforts to book his spot in the final of the Championship League at Leicester's Mattioli Arena.
Leicester has been good to its home players lately.
Mark Selby claimed the Champion of Champions crown in his own backyard with a 10-5 win over world No. 1 Judd Trump in November and the city has also been kind to Ford, who won last season's Shoot Out at the same venue.
After finishing fourth in Group 1 behind Joe O'Connor, Jackson Page and Chris Wakelin on Saturday to reach the last four, it was Ford who advanced to the final winners' group with a pair of 3-1 wins over O'Connor and Page.
Breaks of 96 and 66 helped Ford to reel off three straight frames to overcome fellow Leicester local O'Connor, who opened the semi-final with a run of 101, before he downed Page in similar fashion in the final.
The Welshman pocketed the first frame with a 77 knock, but runs of 108, 76 and 97 were enough to secure Ford top spot, with the seven-player winners' section of the invitational event taking place on February 10 and 11.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
Page had earlier edged out Chris Wakelin with a 3-2 win in their semi-final, but both men return for Group 2 on Sunday and Monday.
Wakelin had produced the first 147 of 2026, and a record-extending 17th maximum of the season, on day one of the Championship League on Friday.
O'Connor and Elliot Slessor also carry on their respective campaigns with Gary Wilson, David Gilbert and Noppon Saengkham joining the action.
Pang Junxu and Hossein Vafaei drop out after occupying the bottom two spots in the seven-player Group 1.
Selby is chasing a third straight title at the tournament and is due to begin his campaign in Group 5 on January 19 and 20.
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The Championship League is taking the attention in the first week of 2026, but thoughts will soon turn to the 52nd staging of the Masters.
The famous invitational event starts at Alexandra Palace in London next Sunday, January 11-18, and is live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Defending champion Shaun Murphy plays Wu Yize in the opening match.
Other first-round encounters include Mark Williams taking on Mark Allen, and Neil Robertson meeting Ronnie O'Sullivan, the record eight-time winner.
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Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the Masters, live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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