2024 Q School Order of Merit: Dylan Emery first in line

As per previous years, a final ‘Q School Order of Merit’ rankings list was published following the completion of the event. The list only features players who did not win a tour card from the two events.

This list is regularly used to invite amateur players for professional events when there are available spaces due to not all WST card holders entering. At the ongoing 2024 Championship League Ranking Event, a plethora of professionals have opted out of the season opener therefore meaning several amateur players have filled the empty slots and are competing in Leicester.

As it stands, there should be 128 professional players for the 2024/25 season. At the time of writing, though, only 125 are confirmed, with the futures of Ken Doherty and Stephen Hendry unannounced, and the 2024 African Championship - where the winner receives a tour card - to be held in a few months time.

Due to a number of factors, several events throughout the season generally have spaces open up for Q School ‘top-ups’, therefore the higher you finish on the list, the more likely you could receive an invite.

The number one player on the 2024 list is Welshman Dylan Emery, who was relegated from the professional circuit in the spring.

The 23-year-old was very close to an immediate return to the top tier, but he lost in a deciding frame in the final round of event one, and lost in the penultimate round in event two. Softening Emery’s disappointment, though, is the likelihood that he will still feature in several ranking tournaments throughout the term.

Second on the list is Englishman Simon Blackwell who was trying to reach the pro circuit for the first time. After a penultimate round deciding frame defeat in event one, Blackwell was denied in the final round of event two.

In third is Ukrainian youngster Iulian Boiko who continues to knock on the door of a pro tour return. The 18-year-old - who was the 2023 Q School number one top up player - reached the final round of the second event.

It is important to note that amateurs competing in WST events can still earn full prize money and the equivalent ranking points, therefore meaning they can qualify for invitational events such as on the Players Series and secure a tour card via various avenues.

2024 Q School Order of Merit Rankings - Top 10

1: Dylan Emery (41 points)

2: Simon Blackwell (40)

3: Iulian Boiko (35)

4: Joshua Thomond (34)

5: Paul Deaville (33)

=6: Daniel Womersley, Anton Kazakov (32)

8: Joshua Cooper (31)

9: Florian Nuessle, Mark Joyce, Lewis Ullah (30)

The full order or merit is here on the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association website.