After years toiling his way through the amateur circuit and dark days on the snooker table, Steven Hallworth is back among the elites of the sport after regaining his World Snooker Tour status.
Though, this is just the beginning for the 29-year-old Lincoln-born cueist, who now has he sights set on cementing his standing at the top table.
He said: “I remember when I first turned pro when I was 18, and just getting on the tour was my winning the World Championships. We had big celebrations, it was like, ‘He’s a pro’, great, brilliant.
“And, I sort of spent the first year completely lost because I thought I’d made it.”
A commanding performance back in March got Steven over the line after a number of near misses over recent years.
Steven was booted off the professional circuit in 2016 after missing out on Q School qualification, but managed to crawl his way back up to the sport’s upper echelons four years later.
However, another knockback in 2022 saw him lose his professional status after a two-year stint.
Now, he is keen to make this stay on the Tour his best yet, winning a two-season card.
“It allows me to earn a ranking, which is the biggest thing for me. Off the tour, you’re unranked basically. Whereas, at least now I have got a foothold on the World Snooker Tour and hopefully I can continue to get those good results and climb the rankings,” he explained.
It has been a hard road for Steven to get back to where he believes he belongs.
He said: “I think in this game in particular, and I can speak from experience because I have played for so long now, you have so many dark days.
“And, pretty much every event you play in unless you win it and come home with the trophy, every player is going home disappointed. That is probably the toughest thing to get over.”
It was one of these setbacks that has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, after 2023’s Storm Babet wrecked his practice room at Lincolnshire’s RAF Waddington base and left the roof crumbled on his table.
He was forced to find a new facility, which is when he was invited to the Lincoln Snooker Club.
“It’s been instrumental this season because it has given me a platform to be able to play and not really have to worry about anything. In a strange way, being in a club environment has helped,” he said. “My table previous was in a private room, it was just me on my own, and quite often me on my own with my negative thoughts, which isn’t a good place to be.”
Phil Cross, the owner of the snooker club where Steven trains, said: “His dedication, his hard work is there to be seen, he is an inspiration for local players and youngsters.
“He’s great to have around the place because people are always interested in what he is doing, seeing who he is playing.”
While working his way through the amateur ranks, Steven has kept his foot in the door of professional snooker by being behind a microphone.
He has become a recognisable voice on commentary for broadcasters such as Eurosport, something which Steven links to his improved form.
“I think because I have spent the last few years on the amateur circuit, you just get wrapped up in that amateur thought process and that amateur lifestyle. And, that negative amateur way of thinking,” he described.
Steven added: “I have never watched so much snooker actually, from having to commentate on it, I am not one of those that will go home and put the snooker on after spending eight hours in the club.
“But, because I am commentating, I am seeing it more and seeing how the top players operate, which has definitely helped.”
It has not been easy, though. And, self-confidence has been a struggle for Steven.
He said: “I hear it quite a lot from the top players, saying ‘You’re good enough’, but you’ve got to belief it yourself. That is probably one of my downfalls really, I have never really believed in myself and I always want to be better than I am.”
But, all of his hard work came to fruition when he came out victorious in the last qualification event of the 2024/25 season. It means he will now have the next two-years to cement his professional status and compete against the likes of seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and current world number one Judd Trump.
Steven Hallworth Facts and Figures:
- First turned pro aged 18, in 2014.
- Winner of the prestigious English Amateur Championship.
- Ranking Event semi-finalist, in 2023 Snooker Shoot Out.
- Highest world ranking: 69
“If I am testing myself against the best players in the world on a day-to-day basis, when I come up against a lower ranked player in a tournament, all of a sudden my level will probably be a lot higher than theirs. And, then the results will take care of themselves,” Steven said.
Alongside his games on the amateur circuit and stints in the commentary box, Steven has coached a flurry of young snooker talents in his hometown of Lincoln.
That includes 14-year-old Jayden Hunt, who wants to follow in Steven’s footsteps and become a professional himself.
He said: “I’ve been playing for a year-and-a-half, and even since Steven has helped me and been there to support me. He’s very good, teaches you a lot of the stuff you need to know in the game.”
Jayden has already knocked in a century break during practice, and a half-century in a match, crediting his coach for his recent improvement.
For Steven, the central focus is re-establishing his professional snooker career. He said: “This is just the beginning now, you start at the bottom of the rankings and it is up to you to try and climb them. The hard work really starts now.”
