Mark Gray was pleased with a first and a second in the first tour event

Mark Gray is celebrating a stunning start to the domestic nine-ball pool season at Barcelo Buxton Palace Hotel.

The former snooker pro pocketed the opening Pro event of the 2010 GB9 Ball tour and was runner-up in the Open.

Bourne's Gray had a tough draw in the Pro Cup but was hardly troubled on his way to the title, casting aside Chris Melling, Imran Majid, Tony Drago.

Gray then saw off Karl Boyes in the final and said: "I played pretty much perfect pool."

The 36-year-old, who won the last Eurotour staged in December 2009, added: "It's nice to start where I left off."

His win netted him £1,000 and extended his lead at the top of the GB rankings.

Gray almost achieved an elusive GB double of the Pro and the Open event, the Midlands Classic, which features both GB9 Pros and Challenge players. However, he lost in the Classic final to Daryl Peach 11-8.

But he was not disappointed to miss out on both titles.

"I'm well happy with a first and a second, especially with my Pro draw and the standard of the tour now. It's the strongest in the world at the moment," he said.

That UK are a force to be reckoned with in American Pool was confirmed last month when they were crowned World Team Champions, with Darren Appleton, Boyes, Gray, Majid and Peach seeing off the Philippines in the final.

Blackpool's Peach was also chuffed with his weekend's work at the first tour; he went home with the Classic trophy and the accompanying £1,200 first prize and he reached the semi-finals of the Pro event.

Boyes - who is now also based in Blackpool - ended his run in the Pro Cup with a 9-7 victory in their semi-final encounter.

"It's a nice way to open the season," he said.

Nevertheless, it was a confidence boost for Peach, who will finally get his chance to defend his World 9 Ball title - which he won back in 2007 - in June.

"Hopefully, this is a good omen for the World Championships in Qatar," said Peach.

With two young sons and two jobs, Stewart Colclough decided to put pool on the backburner and promptly chalked up his first major.

Colclough, from Winsford, Cheshire, held his nerve to beat Chris Cowie 9-8 in the final of the Midlands Challenge Cup.

"I'm so, so pleased," enthused Colclough, after picking up the Cup and the £750 winning prize.

"I'd been struggling in the Pro division and decided to drop off and play on the Challenge tour. I wanted to treat pool more as a hobby and just enjoy it."

His new approach has definitely paid off and Colclough said: "It's helped my focus and I have a much better attitude now when I play; I used to put too much pressure on myself."

Finally bringing his practise game into tournament play has inspired him. "I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season now."

Results:

PRO CUP

Quarter-finals
Daryl Peach 9-6 Jayson Shaw
Karl Boyes 9-8 Kevin Uzzell
Mark Gray 9-4 Imran Majid
Tony Drago 9-8 Craig Osborne

Semi-finals:
Karl Boyes 9-7 Daryl Peach
Mark Gray 9-3 Tony Drago

Final:
Mark Gray 9-3 Karl Boyes

The GB9 Midlands Classic (Open)

Quarter-finals:
Mark Gray 9-3 Michael Valentine
Tony Drago 9-2 Karl Boyes
Scott Higgins 9-2 Andy Richardson
Daryl Peach 9-7 Craig Osborne

Semi-finals:
Mark Gray 9-6 Tony Drago
Daryl Peach 9-5 Scott Higgins

Final:
Daryl Peach 11-8 Mark Gray

The Challenge Cup

Quarter-finals:
Chris Cowie 9-4 Chris Buckmaster
Gary Bullocke 9-8 Adam Shaw
Stewart Colcough 9-5 Neil Cummings
Andrew Worthington 9-4 Mark Hughes

Semi-finals:
Chris Cowie 9-5 Gary Bullocke
Stewart Colclough 9-2 Andrew Worthington

Final:
Stewart Colclough 9-8 Chris Cowie

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