Robbie McGuigan
{{short description|Northern Irish professional snooker player}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox snooker player
|name = Robbie McGuigan
|image =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|7|7|df=y}}
|birth_place = County Antrim
|death_date =
|death_place =
| Sport country = {{NIR}}
| Professional = 2024–present
| High ranking = 91 (July 2024)
| Official maximums =
| Best finish = Last 64 (x2)
| Ranking wins =
| World champ =
}}
Robbie McGuigan (born 7 July 2004) is a professional snooker player from Northern Ireland. In 2023, he became a three-time Northern Ireland Amateur champion, whilst still a teenager.
Early life
From County Antrim, McGuigan attended Antrim Grammar School. He hit his first 147 break at thirteen years-old.{{Cite web|title= Snooker star Allen hails stepson Robbie McGuigan's 147|first=Niall|last=Glynn|website=BBC News NI|date=18 April 2018|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-43812113 |accessdate=May 23, 2023}}
Career
In 2019 McGuigan made his debut at a ranking event when he was given a wildcard aged fifteen years-old to the 2019 Northern Ireland Open.{{Cite web|url=https://wst.tv/teenager-mcguigan-handed-place-in-northern-ireland-open/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220221017/https://wst.tv/teenager-mcguigan-handed-place-in-northern-ireland-open/|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 February 2020|website=wst.tv|title=Teenagers McGuigan and Bulman handed places in Northern Ireland Open|accessdate=May 23, 2023|date=November 1, 2019}} He lost to his countryman Patrick Wallace.{{Cite web|date=November 11, 2019|title=
Northern Ireland Open: Mark Selby beats Xu Si 4-2 in first round|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=May 23, 2023|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/50379716}} The following year he lost in the final of the Northern Ireland Amateur snooker final, on a deciding frame, 10–9 to Declan Lavery.{{Cite web|url=https://wpbsa.com/lavery-retains-northern-irish-title/|title=Lavery Retains Northern Irish Title |website=WPBSA|date=30 September 2020|access-date=16 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930191330/https://wpbsa.com/lavery-retains-northern-irish-title/|archive-date=30 September 2023|url-status=live}}
In 2021, McGuigan became the youngest ever Northern Ireland Amateur snooker champion when he defeated Rab McCullough, 10–4 in the final. At 17 years and eleven months he was two and a half months younger than the previous youngest winner Mark Allen had been.{{Cite web|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/17-year-old-robbie-mcguigan-21086341|first=James|last=Gould|date=11 July 2021|accessdate=May 23, 2023|website=Belfast Live|title= 17-year-old Robbie McGuigan becomes youngest ever Northern Ireland Amateur snooker champion}}
= 2021-22 =
In March 2022, still aged seventeen, he defended his Northern Ireland title, again beating McCullough in the final, but by a 10–6 margin.{{Cite web|url=https://wpbsa.com/mcguigan-defends-northern-irish-title/|title=McGuigan Defends Northern Irish Title|website=WPBSA|date=29 March 2022|access-date=16 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231023201808/https://wpbsa.com/mcguigan-defends-northern-irish-title/|archive-date=23 October 2023|url-status=live}} In that same month, March 2022 he won the final event of the WPBSA Q Tour season with a 5–3 victory over Scotland's Michael Collumb at the event held at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, coming back from 3–0 down.{{Cite web|url= https://wpbsa.com/comeback-king-mcguigan-claims-q-tour-title/|website=wpbsa.com|title=Comeback King McGuigan claims Q Tour title|accessdate=May 21, 2023|date=March 2023}}
= 2022-23 =
In October 2022, he defeated compatriot Joel Connelly 4–0 in the preliminary round of the 2022 Northern Ireland Open before losing in the final round of qualifying.{{cite web|url= https://www.irishnews.com/sport/othersports/2023/09/05/news/top_teenage_amateurs_handed_wild_cards_for_snooker_s_northern_ireland_open_in_october-3586853/|website=Irish News|accessdate=22 October 2023|title= Top teenage amateurs handed wild cards for snooker's Northern Ireland Open in October |first=Martin|last=McGoran|date=5 September 2023}}
In May 2023, he won the Northern Ireland Amateur Championship title for a third consecutive year, defeating Raymond Fry 10–8 in the final.{{Cite web|url=https://wpbsa.com/magic-mcguigan-makes-it-three-in-a-row-in-northern-ireland/|title=Magic McGuigan Makes it Three-in-a-Row in Northern Ireland|website=WPBSA|date=23 May 2023|access-date=16 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523120408/https://wpbsa.com/magic-mcguigan-makes-it-three-in-a-row-in-northern-ireland/|archive-date=23 May 2023|url-status=live}}
= 2023-24 =
McGuigan won the first two amateur tournaments of the 2023–24 season held in Northern Ireland.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/othersports/2023/09/28/news/robbie_mcguigan_wins_first_senior_ranking_even_of_the_nibsa_season-3653820/|website=Irish News|accessdate=22 October 2023|title= Robbie McGuigan wins first senior ranking event of the NIBSA season|first=Martin|last=McGoran|date=23 September 2023}} Awarded a wildcard to the 2023 Northern Ireland Open in October 2023,{{cite web|url=https://wst.tv/mcguigan-and-connolly-awarded-belfast-wild-cards/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924164206/https://wst.tv/mcguigan-and-connolly-awarded-belfast-wild-cards/|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2023|title=McGuigan and Connelly awarded Belfast wildcards|date=5 September 2023|website=wst.tv|accessdate=22 October 2023}} he defeated Muhammad Asif to qualify for the main stages of the event in Belfast.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/northern-ireland-open/2023-2024/watch-robbie-mcguigan-break-halted-by-bizarre-referee-gaffe-at-northern-ireland-open_sto9848161/story.shtml|website=Eurosport|accessdate=23 October 2023|title= ROBBIE MCGUIGAN BREAK HALTED BY BIZARRE REFEREE GAFFE AT NORTHERN IRELAND OPEN|first=Andrew|last=Wright| date=23 October 2023}} In the next round, McGuigan faced experienced campaigner Anthony McGill, McGuigan led 3–1 in the best of seven frame match and McGill required three snookers on the colours to stay in the match, before mounting a comeback to win the frame on a re-spotted black and went on to defeat McGuigan 4–3.{{cite web |url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/2023/10/24/news/robbie_mcguigan_beats_anthony_mcgill_to_reach_the_last_32_of_the_northern_ireland_open-3725534/|website=Irish News|accessdate=26 October 2023|title=Robbie McGuigan edged out by Anthony McGill at the Northern Ireland Open|first= Martin |last=McGoran|date=24 October 2023}}
Given a wildcard to the 2023 UK Championship as the reigning Northern Ireland champion,{{cite web|url= https://wst.tv/wpbsa-qualifiers-announced-for-mrq-uk-championship/|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231104033036/https://wst.tv/wpbsa-qualifiers-announced-for-mrq-uk-championship/|url-status= dead|archive-date= 4 November 2023|website=wst.tv|accessdate=18 November 2023|title= WPBSA QUALIFIERS ANNOUNCED FOR MRQ UK CHAMPIONSHIP|date=3 November 2023}}~
he beat veteran Irishman Fergal O'Brien 6–2 in the first qualifying round, before losing by the same score in the following round to Dylan Emery.{{cite web|url=https://snookerhq.com/2023/11/18/uk-championship-qualifiers-2023-draw-schedule-results-how-to-watch/|website=Snooker HQ|accessdate=18 November 2023|title= UK Championship qualifiers: 2023 draw, schedule, results, how to watch|first=David|last=Caulfield|date=November 18, 2023}}
In March 2024, he defeated Craig Steadman 5–4 in the final to win the EBSA European Snooker Championship and a tour card for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons.{{cite web|url=https://esnooker.pl/turnieje/2024/me/en/show_results.php|website=esnooker.pl|accessdate=23 March 2024|date=23 March 2024|title= Played matches results - EUROPEAN BILLIARDS & SNOOKER ASSOCIATION}}
=2024-25=
He made a successful start to his pro career at the 2024 Championship League in Leicester in June 2024, beating Sanderson Lam 3-0 and qualifying from his round robin group.{{cite web|url= https://www.wst.tv/news/2024/june/17/mcguigan-makes-fast-start-to-pro-career/|website=wst.tv|accessdate=17 June 2024|date=17 June 2024|title= MCGUIGAN MAKES FAST START TO PRO CAREER}} He reached the third round of the 2024 Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters with a win over Ma Hailong of China.{{cite web|url=https://www.wst.tv/news/2024/august/31/saudi-arabia-snooker-masters--day-two-gallery/|accessdate=2 September 2024|website=wst.tv|title= SAUDI ARABIA SNOOKER MASTERS: DAY TWO AFTERNOON|date=31 August 2024}} He was defeated 10-7 by Mark Davis in qualifying for the 2025 World Championship.{{cite web|website=wst.tv|url= https://www.wst.tv/news/2025/april/10/halo-world-championship-qualifying---day-four-updates/ |accessdate=11 April 2025|title= HALO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING - DAY FOUR AS IT HAPPENED |date=10 April 2025}}
Personal life
The son of Kyla McGuigan, he is a supporter of Manchester United.{{Cite web|url=https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/snooker/watch-mark-allens-stepson-robbie-mcguigan-becomes-uks-youngest-player-to-chalk-up-147-break/36817084.html|website=Belfast Telegraph|accessdate=May 23, 2023|title= Watch: Mark Allen's stepson Robbie McGuigan becomes UK's youngest player to chalk up 147 break|first=Stewart|last=Robson|date=April 2018}} His sister Harleigh was born in July 2017. His stepfather was snooker player Mark Allen until 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/mark-allen-reveals-divorce-heartache-18323270.|title=Mark Allen reveals divorce heartache as he prepares for return|website=Belfast Live|accessdate=May 23, 2023|first=Neil|last=Goulding|date=28 May 2020}}
Performance and rankings timeline
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"
! Tournament ! 2019/ ! 2020/ ! 2021/ ! 2022/ ! 2023/ ! 2024/ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|RankingShows the ranking at the beginning of the season
|align="center"|He was an amateur |align="center"|New players on the Main Tour don't have a ranking |
| colspan="10"|Ranking tournaments |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Championship League
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NR |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|RR |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|RR |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Xi'an Grand Prix
|align="center" colspan="5" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Saudi Arabia Masters
|align="center" colspan="5" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|English Open
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|British Open
|align="center" colspan="2" style="color:#555555;"|Not Held |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Wuhan Open
|align="center" colspan="4" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Northern Ireland Open
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|International Championship
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Not Held |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|UK Championship
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Shoot Out
|align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Scottish Open
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|German Masters
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Welsh Open
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|World Open
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Not Held |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|World Grand Prix
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Players Championship
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|Tour Championship
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|DNQ |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|World Championship
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A |align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ |
| colspan="10"|Former ranking tournaments |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|WST Pro Series
|align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|RR |align="center" colspan="10" style="color:#555555;"|Tournament Not Held |
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|WST Classic
|align="center" colspan="3" style="color:#555555;"|Not Held |align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|1R |align="center" colspan="10" style="color:#555555;"|Not Held |
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:78%;" |
| bgcolor="#efefef"
! colspan="6"|Performance Table Legend |
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|LQ
| lost in the qualifying draw | align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|#R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament | align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF | lost in the quarter-finals |
| align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
| lost in the semi–finals | align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;"|F | lost in the final | align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|W | won the tournament |
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|DNQ
| did not qualify for the tournament | align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|A | did not participate in the tournament | align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|WD | withdrew from the tournament |
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" | |
| align=center style="color:#555555;" colspan=4|NH / Not held | means an event was not held. |
| align=center style="color:#555555;" colspan=4|NR / Non-ranking event | means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. |
| align=center style="color:#555555;" colspan=4|R / Ranking event | means an event is/was now a ranking event |
{{reflist|group="nb"}}
Career finals
= Amateur finals: 10 (6 titles) =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!style="width:80px;"| Outcome !style="width:20px;"| No. !style="width:50px;"| Year !style="width:250px;"| Championship !style="width:200px;"| Opponent in the final !style="width:100px;"| Score |
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1. | 2019 | Challenge Tour – Event 3 | {{flagicon|WAL}} Andrew Pagett | 0–3 |
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2. | 2020 | Northern Ireland Amateur Championship | {{flagicon|NIR}} Declan Lavery |
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3. | 2020 | Northern Ireland Under-21 Championship | {{flagicon|NIR}} Fergal Quinn |
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 1. | 2021 | Northern Ireland Amateur Championship | {{flagicon|NIR}} Rab McCullagh |
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 2. | 2022 | Northern Ireland Under-21 Championship | {{flagicon|NIR}} Jamie Gardiner |
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 3. | 2022 | Northern Ireland Amateur Championship (2) | {{flagicon|NIR}} Rab McCullagh |
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 4. | 2022 | {{flagicon|SCO}} Michael Collumb | 5–3 |
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 4. | 2023 | {{nowrap|Northern Ireland Under-21 Championship (2)}} | {{flagicon|NIR}} Joel Connolly |
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 5. | 2023 | Northern Ireland Amateur Championship (3) | {{flagicon|NIR}} Raymond Fry |
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Winner
| 6. | 2024 | EBSA European Snooker Championships | {{flagicon|ENG}} Craig Steadman | 5–4 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{portal|Cue sports}}
- {{WST player}}
- {{snooker.org player}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGuigan, Robbie}}
Category:Snooker players from Northern Ireland
Category:Sportspeople from Antrim, County Antrim