WDBS Rankings | Irish Open 2024 Update

The official WDBS rankings have been updated for the final time this year following the 2024 Irish Open at the SBI HQ in Carlow, Ireland last weekend.

• View the updated rankings at the WDBS website
• View the updated rankings via WPBSA SnookerScores
• View further information about the ranking system

The WDBS ranking system includes individual ranking lists for each of the main classification groups, with players earning points from based upon their finishing position at designated ranking tournaments.

The rankings operate on a rolling two-year basis, with points earned during 2022/23 to be removed during the course of this season. At this revision points earned at the 2024 Irish Open were added with no points removed.

O’Brien and Butt Go Top

There are two new world number ones following the final ranking event of the year in Carlow, Ireland last weekend.

A run to the final in the Group 7+8 competition was enough for Ireland’s Colvin O’Brien to overtake the absent Mike Gillespie and become the top ranked player the visual Group 7 classification for the first time in his career.

The achievement comes just 17 months after O’Brien, who is still the only player to achieve a century break in a WDBS event, made his debut at the 2023 Irish Open.

Despite also finishing as the runner-up in Group 6A at the SBI HQ, eight-time event winner Mohammed Faisal Butt also returns to the summit of the world ranking list for the first time since 2022 – overtaking Scotland’s Alan Reynolds.

Leaders Increase Advantage

Six other players have maintained their position as the world number one as the year ends, with four of them increasing their advantage at the top following the Irish Open.

Dave Bolton’s incredible tenth successive WDBS title sees him further his lead over second-placed Dalton Lawrence, who Bolton defeated 4-2 in the Group 5 final, to 20,800 points – the largest gap between any top two ranked players across the classification groups.

An eighth WDBS title for Matthew Haslam, who also defeated second-placed Leroy Williams in a fifth consecutive WDBS tournament match last weekend, means he now holds an advantage of 13,900 points in Group 6B.

Despite not securing the title in Carlow, both Kal Mattu (Group 3) and David Church (Group 4) did enough to extend their advantage in their respective groups following runs to the final and semi-finals respectively.

Key Movers

Three of the champions from Carlow have seen their ranking positions boosted by their success last weekend.

A first WDBS title in 14 months for Daniel Blunn sees him rise to third and close the gap on second-placed Carl Gibson to 11,500 in the race to the Champion of Champions.

Gary Taylor’s victory in the Group 7+8 event climbs him into second position and closes the gap to Luke Drennan, who fell in the last four, to just 400 points heading into the new year.

A successful title defence for Ireland’s Oscar Ellison Gibbons means he also rises a place to third in the Group 6A world ranking list despite only competing in three events during the current two-year cycle.

In Group 6B, a run to the semi-finals has resulted in Christopher Woodward jumping from ninth to seventh, while Maureen Rowland moves back into the world’s top ten in Group 5. Peter Hull also climbs a place to ninth in Group 3 in his first season following his move from the Group 4 classification group.