THREE of the Bradford District’s finest pool players were in Ultimate Pool action over the weekend, as the prestigious Pro Series got underway for 2024.

Sizeable prize pots are on offer for the 10 events held at the Grand Hotel in Blackpool throughout the year, with the series spread over five weekends throughout the year.

Two events are played per weekend, with the Pro Series enjoying a February start this year.

Bradford native Karl Boyes was in action, as were Keighley duo Chris Melling and Arfan Dad.

All three entered Pro Series 1 at the last-64 stage, with all three of them among the 32 players seeded.

But 29th seed Boyes and third seed Melling bowed out straight away.

Bradfordian Boyes was beaten 6-4 by Ryan Fleming, while Melling, one of the favourites, was dismantled 7-2 by Brian Halcrow.

Dad, the 22nd seed, made a better fist of the tournament, and won his first match 7-6, pipping Cole Bedford in a thriller.

That seemed to buoy the Keighley man, who produced a superb 7-5 victory over sixth seed Jack Whelan in the last-32.

But Dad’s run ended in the last-16, as he lost 7-4 to Jon McAllister.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Arfan Dad (background) was the only one of the Bradford District trio in action to win a match in Pro Series 1, but he came up short in the last-16.Arfan Dad (background) was the only one of the Bradford District trio in action to win a match in Pro Series 1, but he came up short in the last-16. (Image: Ultimate Pool.)

The final was between the McAllister and fifth seed Phil Harrison, with the latter understandably the favourite.

But the unseeded McAllister was superb, winning 7-5 to claim the first Pro Series title of the year.

There was to be no joy for the Keighley pair in the Pro Series 2 event that followed.

Melling rounded off a miserable weekend by losing 7-5 to the unseeded Morgan McInnes in the last-64, while Dad failed to build on his progress in the first event, going down 7-5 in his opener to underdog Kristi Caulfield.

As for Boyes, a former world champion, he showed his enduring class by crushing Halcrow 7-0 in his first match.

That put the Bradford ace into the last-32, but it was there that his tournament ended with a 7-4 defeat to Harrison.

Luke Gilbert came out on top in the end, the 23rd seed beating 13th seed Declan Brennan 8-5 in the Pro Series 2 final.