His victory over Robert Thornton in Sydney has also won him a spot back at the World Championship through the Players Championship Order of Merit….and the £5,000 winner’s cheque puts him in pole position to qualify for the World Grand Prix in Dublin in October.
The Aussie/Geordie looked in really good touch all day and his win over Thornton at the Coogee Bay Hotel is also revenge for last year, when the Scot beat Nicholson in the Australian Open Final.
But there were no mistakes this time…..Nicholson sweeping to a comprehensive 6-1 win to claim a huge victory on home soil.
After easy wins over Steve Nichols, Daniel Sim and Jerry Weyman, the Unicorn ace beat Craig Prizeman in the quarter-finals, before facing his toughest test in the semi’s…..Nicholson came from behind to edge out Mark Walsh in a last leg decider.
But this triumph could open the door to so much for Nicholson and will almost certainly see him claim a spot in the world’s top 32 by the end of the year.
Terry Jenkins slumped to a shock 1st Round defeat in Sydney – losing an all Unicorn affair to Barry Jouannet, with the former Oceanic Masters Champion coming through by 6 legs to 5.
Jouannet eventually lost in the last 16 – beaten 6-1 by Craig Prizeman.
Results – Quarter Finals:
Robert Thornton 6-4 Brian Roach
Losers - £700
Semi-Finals:
Robert Thornton 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Losers - £1,250
Final:
Paul Nicholson 6-1 Robert Thornton
Winner - £5,000
Runner-up - £2,500
By STUART PYKE
Photo courtesy of Lawrence Lustig
