From Cleaning Tables to Collecting Titles: The Rise of Scottish Pool Star Jayson Shaw
From cleaning tables for snooker legend John Higgins to winning prestigious titles, Scottish pool star Jayson Shaw's journey is remarkable. Now, the six-time Mosconi Cup winner targets more success, aiming to retain his Hanoi Open title and make a mark in other top competitions.
Image Credits: AZ Billiards
Scottish pool ace Jayson Shaw used to clean tables for snooker legend John Higgins.
But now the six-time Mosconi Cup winning is more used to winning silverware than doing the donkey work.
Recent Success in Riyadh
Glaswegian nine-ball ace Shaw, his country’s best player, recently competed in the World Pool Championship in Saudi Arabia.
The 35-year-old impressed to win three matches to reach the last 32 stage of the prestigious competition in Riyadh.
Despite missing out on the ultimate prize in the sport, former US Open champion Shaw is targeting more success in a string of other top competitions this year.
Image Credits: Matchroom Pool
That Famous Hanoi Open Victory
He heads to Vietnam in October gunning to retain the prestigious Hanoi Open title he famously won last season.
That’s the tournament he famously celebrated his victory by dancing on the table, much to the enjoyment of a raucous crowd.
Relationship with the Legendary John Higgins
“I’ve known John Higgins since I was young, and my dad knows him well. I used to clean the tables in the club he played on.”
“It was in Glasgow at the Craigpark Masters snooker club, all the top Scottish guys used to play there.”
“If I’d have stayed with snooker who knows what would have happened, but I don’t regret not taking up the sport.”
I’m still looking to strive for greatness, to win big events and to be the best I can be.
Jayson Shaw
The Vast Prize Money in Pool
Prize money in pool is rising all the time with more and more opportunities for the top players after Matchroom, the promotion company who runs pool, having created the World Nineball Tour 18 months ago and put on 45 events in all corners of the globe.
Shaw is understandably hungry to pocket many more big titles before he finally hangs up his cue.
Success and Longevity
“Whatever keeps coming I’ll keep going, but right now I feel like I’m in my prime.”
“I’ve got a good five to seven years left – maybe more – depending on how well I look after myself.”
“Maybe four or five years ago I might have thought about the prize money, but I feel like I do pretty well for myself now.”
“I’ve done a lot of good things outside of pool with my money, invested in things, so I don’t worry too much about it.”
“You know, as a pool playing come through, well you’re always grinding to win money.”
“There wasn’t really a lot in the game, but when I did get money from winning events, I invested it.”
“At the end of the day you’re not going to be able to play pool all your life, so you’ve got to make some wise choices.”
“I feel like now I can just focus on my game and not worry about the money, so it’s a nice position to be in.”
He added: “I just try and enjoy myself, play my game and try and leave it all on the table.”
“I know I’ve got the game to win the World Championship one day, but the game is really crazy at times, so it’s important just to focus on each match and see where that takes you.”
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.