As we enter the closing weeks of the 2013/14 season, today we will see another tour place for next season confirmed as Ireland’s Josh Boileau takes on Leeds’ Oliver Lines in the final of the European U-21 Championship in Bucharest.
Though nothing has officially been confirmed as far as the exact tour structure for next season is concerned, if we are to assume that the structure is to remain relatively unchanged from last season, we can speculate as to how the tour is looking next season…
The Top 64 (64)
It is traditionally the case that the top 64 in the official two-year ranking list at the end of the season will automatically retain their main tour place for the following campaign.
Though the principle remains the same this time around, the important difference to note is that it will be the top 64 on the new two-year prize money list at the end of the 2013/14 season who will automatically retain a main tour place for next season.
- Click here to view who is currently in position to finish inside the top 64 on the latest provisional money list
Players qualifying via this route will receive a one-year tour card for 2014/15 only.
The ‘Second Years’ (Max 36)
Remember last season that everybody who gained or regained a tour card for 2013/14, who began outside of the top 64, was awarded a two-year tour card?
This means that everybody who is highlighted in green on the latest provisional money list, eg the 36 players who joined or survived on tour last season without having finished inside the top 64 during the previous season, will remain on the tour for the second year of that two-year card.
Though there are 36 players who fall into this category, it is possible that Gary Wilson and David Morris in particular may earn enough money after just one season, to finish up inside the top 64 and retain a tour place via that method, which would reduce the numbers qualifying via this way.
The Top Eight (ET Order of Merit) (8)
Robbie Williams – Safe
As was the case in 2012/13, the top eight performers on this season’s ET Order of Merit, not already qualified for next season (eg inside the top 64 on the two-year list or already on a two-year card), will earn a tour place.
At the time of writing, those eight players are:
- Sam Baird (16,351)
- Robbie Williams (9,115)
- Joel Walker (7,199)
- Ian Burns (6,266)
- Michael Wasley (6,049)
- Barry Pinches (5,949)
- David Grace (5,283)
- Tony Drago (5,266)
Although the European Tour has now concluded, there is still scope for this list to change, depending upon how the money list fluctuates between now and the end of the season.
For example, should one of the above players break into the top 64 on the main money list, then an extra place could be opened up to the European Tour.
Whoever the eight qualifiers are will receive a two-year tour card.
AT Order of Merit (4)
Similarly, four places will go to the top four players on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, to players not already qualified for the main tour via other means.
The top four are:
- Ju Reti
- Liu Chuang
- Lu Chenwei
- Zhou Yuelong
Liu Chuang – safe
Note that Zhou Yuelong is not bolded as he has already qualified for the tour by winning the 2013 IBSF World Championship, so it would appear that his spot will instead go to next man Rouzi Maimaiti.
It also remains possible that Liu Chuang with a good run between now and the end of the season could climb up into the top 64 on the main money list, opening up another spot on the Asian Tour.
These players will receive a two-year tour card.
Q School (8)
In a change to last season, the amount of qualifiers from the Q School will be reduced from 12 to just eight.
The event will see two tournaments staged in quick succession with the semi-finalists of each earning a place on the main tour for next season.
These players will receive a two-year tour card.
EBSA Play-Offs (3)
The 2014 EBSA play-offs took place alongside the World Championship qualifiers on 12-13 April 2014 at the Ponds Forge venue in Sheffield and the following players came through to earn two-year cards:
- Ian Glover
- Zak Surety
- Steven Hallworth
The three successful players will receive a two-year tour card.
International Nominations (9)
Assuming that the international nominations remain as they did last year, that leaves 9 places up for grabs as follows, assuming that they all choose to accept their nominations.
IBSF:
- 2013 IBSF World Champion – Zhou Yuelong
- 2013 IBSF World Under-21 Champion – Lu Ning
ACBS:
- 2014 Asian Champion – Chuan Leong
- 2014 Asian U-21 Champion – (tbc 5-11 April 2014)
EBSA:
- 2014 European Champion – (tbc 1-11 June 2014)
- 2014 European U-21 Champion – Oliver Lines
Americas:
- One nomination – tbc
Oceania:
- 2014 Oceania Champion – Steve Mifsud
Africa:
- One nomination – tbc
These players will receive a two-year tour card.
Overall position
If the above does prove to be accurate, that could mean that there will be up to 132 professional players during the 2014/15 season, which if nothing else makes it easier to understand why the amount of Q School qualifiers has been reduced for next season.
At this stage, some of the above is yet to be confirmed, but as and when the tour criteria for next season is published by the WPBSA, you will find the details here at PSB…