When rank outsider Dave Harold shocked the snooker world with surprise title triumph

Harold turned professional in 1991, and made a big impression during one of his opening tournaments, winning eight matches on his way to the last 32 of the Grand Prix where he lost 5-0 to world number one Stephen Hendry.

At a time where there were hundreds of professional players due to the top flight being thrown open to all-comers, Harold made a big rise up the world rankings, starting his second season as the world number 93. And it was during this term, when he recorded his fairytale triumph.

Harold won three qualifying round matches held in late summer/early autumn - ousting Mark Pugh 5-4 before defeating Kirk Stevens 5-3 - to book a spot for the main venue stages of that season’s Asian Open which were held in Bangkok in March several months later.

In the lead up to the tournament, there was nothing to really suggest that Harold could mount any sort of deep run in the Thai capital, but he eliminated Canada’s Alain Robidoux 5-3 and then New Zealand’s Dene O’Kane 5-2 to break personal ground by reaching the last 16 of a full ranking competition for the first time. But he didn’t stop there.

He then caused a big upset, seeing off reigning world champion Stephen Hendry 5-2 to make the quarter-finals where he posted a century break in stopping Paul Tanner, 5-3.

In a tournament of surprise results, Harold dispatched Paul Davies 5-2 - who was appearing in his second semi-final - to make the final in south-east Asia.

Emerging from the other side of the draw was world number 16 Darren Morgan, who had survived three deciding frame finishes, including a 5-4 semi-final success against UK Champion Jimmy White. The Welshman had won professional events before, but like his final opponent, he too was aiming for a maiden ranking event crown.

But despite the big gap between the two cueists in the rankings, Harold coasted to the title in the end, winning seven consecutive frames in the final - featuring a total clearance of 137 - en route to a 9-3 victory.

Before the final stages broke off, Harold was rated as a rank outsider with tournament odds of 500/1, but he went on the lift the trophy and collect the £30,000 top prize to become - at the time - the lowest ranked player ever to have won a ranking title.

This would be Harold’s sole ranking success, although he enjoyed many highlights throughout his 24-year top tier career.

At the event immediately after the Asian Open, Harold went on another winning sequence, making the last four of the International Open held in Plymouth, although his campaign came to an emphatic halt as Hendry whitewashed him 6-0.

Harold appeared in two further ranking event finals; losing 9-6 to John Higgins at the 1994 Grand Prix - Higgins’ first ranking title - and the 2008 Northern Ireland Trophy where Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated him 9-3.

The Englishman spent several seasons inside the world’s elite top 16 - reaching a career-high of number 11 in the global standings - and played at the Crucible Theatre in the World Championship on 11 occasions before retiring in 2015.