A delighted Alex Davies was celebrating today after knocking snooker legend Jimmy 'The Whirlwind' White out of the record books.

The Clacton 15-year-old has just been crowned the youngest-ever English Amateur snooker champion and taken The Whirlwind's throne.

Just champion - Clacton's Alex Davies with his English Amateur Snooker Championship trophy. Picture: STEVE BAINBRIDGE

White won the same title as a 16-year-old.

Davies upset the favourite, Leicestireshire's Ben Woollaston, 8-7 in a tense final at Plymouth on Saturday.

His victory ensured him a place at this year's World Amateur Championships to be held in New Zealand.

Davies told the Evening Gazette: "I was confident going into the final even though Woollaston is one of my bogey players, I've only beaten him once and lost three times."

Davies got off to a flying start to storm 6-2 ahead but then went off the boil as Woollaston pulled it back and took a 7-6 lead.

"I got off to a good start but then I started playing a lot worse and Woollaston got back into the match," said Davies.

"But I managed to score a break of 92 to make it 7-7 and in the last frame I won it quite easily as Woollaston needed two snookers on the green."

Success with the cue runs in the family as older brother Adam, 19, is a professional on the Challenge Tour.

Published Tuesday, May 13, 2003

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