CORMAC Kerr’s ambition to make a career out of eight-ball pool is a step closer to becoming a reality after he was selected to compete in the Ultimate Pool Professional Series.
he Drogheda native got a wild-card entry into the tournament for the top 96 players on the planet, after winning the U25 Team title with Ireland at last year’s World Championships in Killarney.
And he made a flying start in the first two tournaments of the series in Blackpool recently, reaching the last 16 on his debut before going one better to reach the quarter-finals in the second event for a total haul of £1,500.
And with eight more tournaments still to be played in the series this year – scheduled in four blocks of two to minimise the amount of travel – Cormac (22) feels he’s capable of going all the way to at least one £10,000 first prize.
“The Ultimate Series is all set up in England on the big stage and I got a wild card entry after beating a couple of the lads who are on the circuit already,” he explained.
“It’s all about getting the opportunity to showcase what I can do and I felt very comfortable and very relaxed out there, rather than pressure to perform. I felt like I belong there.
“I’ve been putting in the work since Christmas, playing every day and staying off the beer, and the aim is to win one (tournament) or even two.”
Ironically, Kerr was pitted against another local player in round one of his first ‘Ultimate’ tournament, winning 8-7 against Laytown’s Karl O’Donoghue who is also a newcomer to this competition.
Kerr went on to claim a big scalp in the second tournament when defeating the current world champion Ronan McCarthy, revenge for a loss to McCarthy in the World Singles last October.
The four remaining rounds in the series are due to take place in March, June, September and November and the presence of some of the world’s top snooker players in Mark Williams, Stephen Maguire, Mark Selby and Mark Allen should guarantee plenty of interest.
