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Dene O'Kane

Dene O'Kane (24 February 1963 – 14 May 2024) was a New Zealand professional snooker player.

Dene O'Kane
Born(1963-02-24)24 February 1963[1]
Christchurch, New Zealand
Died14 May 2024(2024-05-14) (aged 61)
Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Sport country New Zealand
Professional1984–2001, 2006–2007
Highest ranking18
Best ranking finishRunner-up (x1)

Career

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O'Kane won the 1980 New Zealand Amateur Championship,[2]: 141  and represented New Zealand at the 1982 IBSF World Snooker Championship, winning six of his nine group matches, but failing to qualify on frame difference.[2]: 151  He turned professional in 1984.[3]

In his first professional tournament, the 1984 International Open, he won four qualifying matches, 5–2 against Maurice Parkin, 5–1 against Eddie McLaughlin, 5–4 against Jack Fitzmaurice and 5–4 against Mike Hallett, before losing 3–5 to Willie Thorne.[3] Also in his debut season, he reached the quarter-finals of the 1985 British Open, and progressing through the qualifying rounds with four wins and a walkover, reached the last 32 of the 1985 World Snooker Championship, losing 4–10 to David Taylor.[4]

O'Kane reached the quarter-finals of the World Championships in 1987 and 1992.[4] He reached the final stages (last 32 or better) of the World Snooker Championship six times, but never in consecutive years.[1] He was the runner-up in the 1989 Hong Kong Open, losing 8–9 to Mike Hallett after leading 8–6.[5]

O'Kane first reached the top 32 in the world rankings for the 1985/1986 season, returning three years later. In 1991/1992 he reached his career high of 18. He remained in the top 32 until 1996/1997.[1]

Having won £415,000 in prize money during his career, O'Kane started a career in real estate in 2007.[6]

Death

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O'Kane died after suffering a fall at his home on 14 May 2024. He was 61.[7]

Performance and rankings timeline

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Tournament 1984/
85 		1985/
86 		1986/
87 		1987/
88 		1988/
89 		1989/
90 		1990/
91 		1991/
92 		1992/
93 		1993/
94 		1994/
95 		1995/
96 		1996/
97 		1997/
98 		1998/
99 		1999/
00 		2000/
01 		2006/
07 		2008/
09
Ranking[8][nb 1] [nb 2] 32 39 35 23 28 23 18 18 22 20 18 27 35 57 77 96 [nb 3] [nb 4]
Ranking tournaments
Grand Prix 1R 1R LQ LQ 2R 1R 3R 3R 1R 3R 1R 3R 1R LQ 2R LQ LQ A A
UK Championship LQ 1R 2R 3R 2R 2R 1R 2R 3R 2R 2R 2R 1R 2R 1R LQ WD LQ A
Malta Cup[nb 5] Tournament Not Held 1R 2R QF 1R 1R 1R LQ LQ LQ NR LQ Not Held LQ NH
Welsh Open Tournament Not Held 2R 2R 1R 1R 1R 3R LQ LQ LQ LQ LQ A
China Open[nb 6] Tournament Not Held NR LQ LQ LQ LQ A
World Championship 1R LQ QF LQ 1R LQ LQ QF LQ 1R LQ 1R LQ LQ LQ LQ LQ LQ A
Non-ranking tournaments
Six-red Snooker International Tournament Not Held 2R
The Masters A A A A A A A LQ A A A LQ A LQ A A A LQ A
Former ranking tournaments
Canadian Masters NH Non-Ranking LQ Tournament Not Held
Hong Kong Open[nb 7] Non-Ranking Event NH F Not Held NR Tournament Not Held
Classic LQ 2R LQ LQ 2R QF 3R 1R Tournament Not Held
Strachan Open Tournament Not Held 3R Tournament Not Held
Dubai Classic[nb 8] Tournament Not Held NR 2R 2R 2R 1R 1R 1R SF LQ Tournament Not Held
German Open Tournament Not Held LQ LQ WD NR Not Held
Malta Grand Prix Tournament Not Held Non-Ranking Event LQ NR Not Held
Thailand Masters[nb 9] Non-Ranking Event Not Held 2R 2R QF 2R 1R LQ LQ LQ LQ LQ LQ LQ NR NH
Scottish Open[nb 10] 2R 2R 2R 1R 2R 1R Not Held 2R 2R 1R 1R 3R 1R LQ LQ LQ Not Held
British Open QF 1R LQ QF 2R 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R 3R 2R 1R 1R LQ LQ LQ Not Held
Former non-ranking tournaments
New Zealand Masters A Not Held QF QF Tournament Not Held
Shoot-Out Tournament Not Held 2R Tournament Not Held
Hong Kong Open[nb 11] A A A 1R NH R Not Held SF A Tournament Not Held
Performance Table Legend
LQ lost in the qualifying draw #R lost in the early rounds of the tournament
(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin) 		QF lost in the quarter-finals
SF lost in the semi-finals F lost in the final W won the tournament
DNQ did not qualify for the tournament A did not participate in the tournament WD withdrew from the tournament
NH / Not Held means an event was not held.
NR / Non-Ranking Event means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.
R / Ranking Event means an event is/was a ranking event.
RV / Ranking & Variant Format Event means an event is/was a ranking & variant format event.
MR / Minor-Ranking Event means an event is/was a minor-ranking event.
PA / Pro-am Event means an event is/was a pro-am event.
VF / Variant Format Event means an event is/was a variant format event.
  1. ^ From the 2010/2011 season it shows the ranking at the beginning of the season.
  2. ^ New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking.
  3. ^ New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking.
  4. ^ He was an amateur.
  5. ^ The event ran under different names such as the European Open (1988/1989 to 1996/1997) and Irish Open (1998/1999)
  6. ^ The event also ran as the China International (1997/1998–1998/1999)
  7. ^ The event also ran as the Australian Masters (1983/1984–1987/1988 & 1995/1996)
  8. ^ The event ran under different names such as Thailand Classic (1995/1996) and Asian Classic (1996/1997)
  9. ^ The event ran under different names such as Asian Open (1989/1990 to 1992/1993) and Thailand Open (1993/1994 to 1996/1997)
  10. ^ The event ran under different names such as International Open (1984/1985, 1986/1987 to 1996/1997) and Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986)
  11. ^ The event also ran as the Australian Masters (1983/1984–1987/1988 & 1995/1996)

Career finals

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Ranking finals: 1

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Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final Score
Runner-up 1. 1989 Hong Kong Open England  Mike Hallett 8–9

Team finals: 1

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Outcome No. Year Championship Team/partner Opponent in the final Score
Runner-up 1. 1989 World Cup Rest of the World   England 8–9

Amateur finals: 12 (8 titles)

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Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final Score
Winner 1. 1980 New Zealand Amateur Championship New Zealand  Peter Mischefski 4–1
Runner-up 1. 1981 Junior Pot Black England  Dean Reynolds 79–151[n 1]
Winner 2. 2004 World Amateur Championship – Masters Republic of Ireland  Eugene Hughes 5–2
Winner 3. 2005 Australian Open Championship Australia  Glen Wilkinson 8–7
Winner 4. 2005 World Amateur Championship – Masters (2) Republic of Ireland  Joe Delaney 5–4
Winner 5. 2006 Oceania Championship Australia  Aaron Mahoney 6–5
Runner-up 2. 2006 Australian Open Championship Australia  Steve Mifsud 7–8
Winner 6. 2007 Oceania Championship (2) New Zealand  Daniel Haenga 6–5
Winner 7. 2008 Australian Open Championship (2) Australia  Stuart Lawler 6–2
Winner 8. 2008 World Amateur Championship – Masters (3) India  Geet Sethi 5–1
Runner-up 3. 2009 World Amateur Championship – Masters Wales  Darren Morgan 0–6
Runner-up 4. 2020 Oceania 6-red Championship Australia  Kurt Dunham 3–5
  1. ^ Final decided on aggregate score over two frames

References

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  1. ^ a b c Kobylecky, John (2019). The Complete International Directory of Snooker Players – 1927 to 2018. Kobyhadrian Books. p. 180. ISBN 978-0993143311.
  2. ^ a b Everton, Clive (1985). Snooker: The Records. Enfield, UK: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. ISBN 0851124488.
  3. ^ a b Hale, Janice (1987). Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88. Aylesbury, UK: Queen Anne Press. pp. 137–138. ISBN 0356146901.
  4. ^ a b Hayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History. Lowestoft, UK: Rose Villa Publications. pp. 767–769. ISBN 978-0954854904.
  5. ^ "Final recovery - Snooker". The Times. London. 14 August 1989.
  6. ^ Millmow, Jonathan (1 March 2014). "O'Kane enjoying life after snooker". stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  7. ^ "New Zealand snooker legend Dene O'Kane has died after accident at Waiheke home". The New Zealand Herald. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Ranking History". Snooker.org. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
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