Jayson Shaw has hit the top of the table after the first day of the second stage at the Predator Cues Premier League Pool at Stadium MK, Milton Keynes live on DAZN in the USA and networks worldwide including Matchroom.Live.
Shaw won all five contests to move clear of Joshua Filler by one point with the two-time Mosconi Cup MVP finding a purple patch beating Skyler Woodward in a hill-hill decider to start the day. The Scotsman continued on his way to beat Mosconi Cup teammate David Alcaide 5-1 and Omar Al-Shaheen 5-4. Francisco Sanchez Ruiz was Shaw‘s next victim as he wrapped up his fourth win of the day 5-1. Albin Ouschan stood between Shaw and five straight wins, and he did it in style with an exhibition of jump shots taking him to another 5-1 win and one point clear of Filler.
Jayson Shaw｜©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
Sanchez Ruiz faced a gruelling day of six fixtures and began it in the best possible way with three straight hill-hill wins over firstly compatriot Alcaide, Filler, and Ouschan. The Spaniard has won 12 matches so far this week and as it stands would make the final six. Ouschan had faltered after winning his opening ten matches and got back to winning ways in his second match of the day against Alexander Kazakis in convincing fashion with a whitewash and then a follow-up 5-3 win over Shane Van Boening.
The American pair of Woodward and Van Boening had varying degrees of fortune as the pair met in the group opener on Table 2 with the former rallying to a 5-1 win. Woodward continued on his day with defeat to Shaw before defeating Alcaide 5-2 including one of the shots of the tournament as he banked the 6 ball in the top right corner from the bottom right pocket. Watch the shot here. The two-time Mosconi Cup MVP ended up with four wins from five after wrapping up a 5-3 win over Mieszko Fortunski to complete the session and find himself in third place. Van Boening meanwhile struggled after victory over Fortunski losing out to both Alcaide and Ouschan but still remains well placed to qualify for the final stage.
Skyler Woodward｜©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
Tomorrow is the end of the second stage with only the top six making the final day of play on Monday. Currently, Shaw, Filler, Woodward, Ouschan, Kazakis, and Van Boening will qualify.
Predator Premier League Pool sees 16 players compete in a league format with an increased prize fund of $100,000 guaranteeing each player $2,500 and the winner taking home $20,000. Stage two continues tomorrow with Filler against Al-Shaheen on Table 1 and Shaw vs Fortunski on Table 2.