Michael Holt suffers shock early defeat to Thai teenager Nattanapong Chaikul at snooker Q School

ByEurosport

Updated 17/05/2022 at 20:29 GMT

Michael Holt lost 4-3 to Nattanapong Chaikul in the second round of event one of Q School as his bid to rejoin the World Snooker Tour circuit at the first attempt came up short. The former Shoot Out winner must start again next week when event two of the season-ending qualifying tournament begins on Sunday.

Michael 'The Hitman' Holt will need to find his form at event two of snooker Q School after suffering a shock 4-3 defeat in the second round of event one to Nattanapong Chaikul in Sheffield.

The former Shoot Out winner has been forced to negotiate the cut-throat season-ending qualifying campaign at Ponds Forge to extend his 24-year stay on the main circuit.

Holt finished the season in 65th spot after a 6-3 loss to Tom Ford in the third round of World Championship qualifying last month at the English Institute of Sport.

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But he got a reality check on how difficult the task could be after losing out to the 17-year-old amateur Chaikul of Thailand, who made breaks of 75, 54, 59 and a classy closing run of 79 to secure his progress.

12 tour cards are available in Sheffield. Three events are staged at Ponds Forge between 16th May until 2nd June with four semi-finalists from each tournament earning a tour card.

Holt will need to win six matches at event two or event three to secure his elite future when he returns to the fray.

World Seniors champion Lee Walker sealed his progress to round three of event one with a 4-1 win over Ian Brumby while 18-year-old Chinese prodigy Liu Hongyu enjoyed a 4-3 victory over Belgium's Ben Mertens.

Liu will face Alfie Lee in the third round after contributing breaks of 137 and 134 in the opening two rounds.

An Asia-Oceania Q School will also take place in Bangkok for the first time starting on 1st June with another four tour cards on the line.

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Two events are to be hosted Thailand's capital city with the finalists from both earning a two-year card to the elite circuit.

19-year-old Julien Leclercq of Belgium clinched a two-year tour card last week with victory at the Q Tour play-offs.

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