Gorgeous Muir – European Champion
Ross Muir is set to return to the World Snooker Tour after he defeated Scot Michael Collumbe 5-1 in the final to win the 2023 EBSA European Amateur Snooker Championship.
Organized by the European Billiards and Snooker Association, over 170 players from 40 different countries participated in the 32nd edition of this prestigious continental event, which this year was held at the Dolmen Hotel in Qawre, Malta.
Muir had no problem making the playoffs after leading his group with four wins out of four. He then eliminated Umut Dikme (Germany) 4–2, George Pragnell (England) 4–0, former finalist Heikki Niva (Finland) 4–2, Shahar Ruberg (Israel) 4–3 and then two-time winner Robin Hull. (Finland) 4-1 in the semi-finals.
On the other side of the draw, reigning Scottish national champions Collumb, who also posted 100 per cent in the group stage, denied recent Q Tour play-off winner Ashley Carty (England) en route to the last four, where he completed a challenge by Irish youth Ross Balman. 4-1.
The first all-Scottish final in the history of the tournament, Muir started well as breaks of 55 and 88 helped him establish a 2–0 lead.
Collumb came on the board with a third frame, but Muir won a tight fourth frame from behind to move two ahead into the mid-session interval before hitting a goal of five on restart.
This success was the result of a brilliant Q Tour campaign, with Muir winning one event and reaching the final of another, even though he finished second in the rankings, agonizingly simply missing out on automatic promotion. However, his triumph in the Mediterranean this week means the 27-year-old will return to the big stage for the first time since 2019.
Muir becomes the fourth player from Scotland to win the title, and the victory completes an incredible championship for his country after the under-16 and under-21 titles in the same place for Jack Borwick and Liam Graham, respectively.
