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Emotional Tom Ford revealed he almost missed the Shoot Out, feeling “down in the dumps” after attending a close friend’s funeral the previous week.
The Leicester player ended a 21-year wait for his first ranking title victory after claiming the trophy in his hometown on Saturday night.
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Ford, 41, achieved victory in seven one-frame matches over three days, concluding with a 31-28 victory against the emerging Scottish player Liam Graham in the final.
Nevertheless, he considered withdrawing from this unique event following the death of his longtime sponsor and dear friend Brian Todd.
Even before the final match, he battled with his emotions, breaking down in tears backstage at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena.
Ford, who earned £50,000 in prize money, expressed: “Brian was with me for eight years, supporting me everywhere, except in China.
“His funeral took place on Wednesday. If I had a match scheduled on that day, I would have pulled out of the tournament.
“On Thursday, I confided in my wife that I didn’t want to compete. I was feeling quite down.
“She motivated me, saying, ‘Hey, it’s just a short match; go and play, you never know what might happen.’
“The trophy and the prize money were the last things on my mind this week. It has been a very challenging time.
Complete List of All-time Snooker World Champions
HERE is a chronological list of snooker World Champions.
This record pertains to the modern era, which began in the 1968-69 season when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) began overseeing the sport.
The first World Championships occurred in 1927, although they were interrupted between 1941-45 due to World War II and again from 1958-63 due to disputes in the sport.
During that time, Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis, and John Pulman (each with 8 titles) were the most successful competitors.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan currently share the record for the most titles in the modern era, both having won seven.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins
“Winning that tournament for Brian carries great importance for me.”
The seasoned Ford had previously reached the finals of three ranking events, including two in 2023.
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Although the Shoot Out was just 6-7 miles from his home, he noted it didn’t feel like a traditional tournament due to its closeness.
Ford, currently ranked world No. 20, mentioned: “It’s odd because I actually don’t enjoy playing in Leicester!
“On qualifier days, I’ll drop my little boy off at school in the morning, play my match, and then go back home to pick him up.
“After that, we share dinner – it genuinely doesn’t feel like I’ve taken part in a match.
“I’m not used to the tournament atmosphere here – I often feel the need to stay in a hotel the night before.”
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“I wasn’t truly focused on the prize money during the final.
“Perhaps that relieved some pressure. Fortunately, Brian wasn’t on my mind at that moment during the final.
“When I first entered the arena, while backstage, I felt a bit emotional, to be honest.
“Upon walking out, I was somewhat choked up. I understood I had to put those feelings aside and concentrate on the task at hand.”
