McCulloch doubles up on deciders

Ian McCuloch has been showing this week he's up for a fight to reclaim his place in the top 64.

Picture by Monique Limbos

The former top 16 man dropped out at the latest seedings revision but proved he still means business with two back-to-back 6-5 wins.

Twice coming back from deficits he's beaten Belgian wonderkid Luca Brecel and fellow veteran James Wattana.

It's the kind of steel and determination we've come to expect from McCulloch down the year. He's a hard match player and a real tough nut to crack in the qualifiers.

For the game's young players, winning matches in qualifying is more than just about potting balls and making big breaks. To survive, and emerge from the cubicles, you have to be able to compete tactically and mentally with the older professionals who have been there, seen it and done it as far as the qualifying scene goes.

Knocking in tons in in practice is one thing but having the game for a fight with the likes of McCulloch who bring a vast array of experience to the table is strictly another.

I've seen Ian play on a number of occasions and while he's an excellent scorer, I still believe his greatest asset is his tenacity. Judging by the never-say-die attitude he's shown in his two matches so far in Gloucester, he'll take some beating on his route to the UK Championship.