Wikipedia

Dene O'Kane

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

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 countryNew Zealand
Professional1984–2001, 2006–2007
Highestranking18
Best ranking finishRunner-up (x1)

Career

edit

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

In his first professional tournament, the1984 International Open,he won four qualifying matches, 5–2 againstMaurice Parkin,5–1 againstEddie McLaughlin,5–4 againstJack Fitzmauriceand 5–4 againstMike Hallett,before losing 3–5 toWillie Thorne.[3]Also in his debut season, he reached the quarter-finals of the1985 British Open,and progressing through the qualifying rounds with four wins and awalkover,reached the last 32 of the1985 World Snooker Championship,losing 4–10 toDavid Taylor.[4]

O'Kane reached the quarter-finals of theWorld Championshipsin1987and1992.[4]He reached the final stages (last 32 or better) of theWorld Snooker Championshipsix times, but never in consecutive years.[1]He was the runner-up in the1989 Hong Kong Open,losing 8–9 toMike Hallettafter leading 8–6.[5]

O'Kane first reached the top 32 in theworld rankingsfor the 1985/1986 season, returning three years later. In1991/1992he reached his career high of 18. He remained in the top 32 until1996/1997.[1]

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

Death

edit

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

Performance and rankings timeline

edit
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

edit

Ranking finals: 1

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

Team finals: 1

edit
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)

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

References

edit
  1. ^abcKobylecky, John (2019).The Complete International Directory of Snooker Players – 1927 to 2018.Kobyhadrian Books. p. 180.ISBN978-0993143311.
  2. ^abEverton, Clive(1985).Snooker: The Records.Enfield, UK: Guinness Superlatives Ltd.ISBN0851124488.
  3. ^abHale, Janice (1987).Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88.Aylesbury, UK: Queen Anne Press. pp. 137–138.ISBN0356146901.
  4. ^abHayton, Eric; Dee, John (2004).The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History.Lowestoft, UK: Rose Villa Publications. pp. 767–769.ISBN978-0954854904.
  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.Archivedfrom the original on 1 March 2014.Retrieved13 November2020.
  7. ^"New Zealand snooker legend Dene O'Kane has died after accident at Waiheke home".The New Zealand Herald. 15 May 2024.Retrieved15 May2024.
  8. ^"Ranking History".Snooker.org.Archivedfrom the original on 14 May 2019.Retrieved9 February2018.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dene_O%27Kane&oldid=1243056763"