Jim Wych

Jim Wych

Born	(1955-01-11) January 11, 1955 (age 70) Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Sport country	Canada
Professional	1979–1997
Highest ranking	17 (1980–1982)
Best ranking finish	Quarter-final (x4)

Jim Wych ^[a] (born 11 January 1955) ^{[1] [2]} is a Canadian sports commentator and former professional snooker and pocket billiards player. He turned professional in 1979 ^[1] and reached the quarter-final of the 1980 World Snooker Championship in his debut year, ^[2] and reached the world championship quarter-final stage again in 1992. ^[3] Wych also reached the quarter-finals of two other ranking tournaments, the 1986 British Open and the 1989 European Open. He reached the final of the men's doubles at the 1991 World Masters, playing with Brady Gollan. ^[4]

A two-time Canadian amateur champion, in 1979 ^[5] and 1999, ^{[6] [7]} Wych retired from professional snooker in 1997 and now works mainly as a television pool and snooker commentator, including for Sky Sports, where he started working in the early 1990s. ^[4]

Wych was ranked in the top 64 players each year for 15 consecutive seasons, from 1980/1981 to 1994/1995. His highest career ranking was 17, in the snooker world ranking lists for 1980/1981 and 1981/1982. ^[4]

Career finals

Non-ranking finals: 4

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	1980	Canadian Professional Championship	Cliff Thorburn	6–9 [8]
Runner-up	2.	1981	Pot Black	Cliff Thorburn	0-2 [9]
Runner-up	3.	1986	Canadian Professional Championship (2)	Cliff Thorburn	2–6 [8]
Runner-up	4.	1988	Canadian Professional Championship (3)	Alain Robidoux	4–8 [8]

Team finals: 1

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Team/partner	Opponent(s) in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	1991	World Masters	Brady Gollan	Mike Hallett Stephen Hendry	5–8 [10]

Amateur finals: 2 (2 titles)

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Winner	1.	1979	Canadian Amateur Championship	Bob Paquette	10–7 [11]
Winner	2.	1999	Canadian Amateur Championship (2)	Tom Finstad	6–4 [11]

Notes

1. Pronounced /ˈwaɪtʃ/ WYCHE

References

1. Hale, Janice (1987). Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88. Aylesbury: Queen Anne Press. pp. 198–199. ISBN   0356146901.
2. Morrison, Ian (1988). Hamlyn Who's Who in Snooker. London: Hamlyn. ISBN   0600557138.
3. Kobylecky, John (2019). The Complete International Directory of Snooker Players – 1927 to 2018. Kobyhadrian Books. pp. 267–268. ISBN   978-0993143311.
4. Yates, Phil. "Past masters: Jim Wych". Snooker Scene. No. May 2010. Everton's News Agency. p. 19.
5. "Jim Wych knock off champion". Ottawa Citizen . Retrieved 27 March 2020.
6. "CBSA Past Champions". cbsa.ca. Canadian Billiards & Snooker Association. Archived from the original on 2010-04-20. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
7. "Canadian Amateur Snooker Champions". cbsa.ca. snookerline.com. Archived from the original on 29 May 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
8. "Canadian Professional Championship". Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
9. "Pot Black History". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 24 December 2008.
10. "Mita / Sky World Masters". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 28 February 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
11. "CBSA Past Champions". cbsa.ca. Canadian Billiards & Snooker Association. Archived from the original on 2010-04-20. Retrieved 5 December 2014.