Michael Holt
Name: Michael Holt
DOB: August 7th, 1978
Nationality: English
Turned Pro: 1996
Highest Ranking: #21 (2006/7)
Current Ranking: #24
Highest Break: 145 (2005 UK Championship)
Career Highlights: Three Time Ranking Event Quarter-Finalist, 2005 World Championship Last 16, 2006 German Open Champion
In short
Possibly the most expressive player on the tour, it is easy to find yourself watching him in the chair during his matches rather than the actual play itself sometimes. Known as “The Hitman” following an incident where he punched the table, breaking a knuckle in the process and having to retire from the match, he is a very nice guy though (take a look at his myspace page and you will see what I mean) and he is always entertaining to watch, be it for his play or some of the facial expressions he pulls at times!
If he can improve on the mental side of his game then he still has the potential to do very well in the game, even though he is now into his thirties. The early signs this season are that he just might be doing that and perhaps the best of Michael Holt is still to come, I certainly hope so…
Early Career
Turning professional back in 1996, it took Michael a number of years to really establish himself on the tour though he did have a few good runs early on. The best of these came at the UK Championship where in 1998 he made the last 16, before going one better the following year when he reached the quarter-final.
His gradual improvement continued as he entered the top 48 for the first time for the 2001/2 season, a position he has maintained ever since. Although he reached the final qualifying round for the World Championship in 2001 and 2002, Michael unfortunately lost out both times, as he would again in 2004 when he lost 10-9 to Anthony Hamilton despite having led 9-5.
Crucible debut
He did at least manage to move up into the top 32 for the first time in 2004/5 and his consistent performances meant that it was surely only a matter of time until he made his debut at the Crucible. This he did in 2005 when he defeated Stuart Bingham 10-8 in the final qualifying round to set up a first round match in Sheffield with Paul Hunter. Coming shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer, Paul was not at his best but Holt still played well to win the match 10-8.
Up against the legendary Steve Davis in the second round, Holt looked to be in great shape to go through to the quarter finals at 8-2 up, but as is so often the case with Michael, his concentration let him down a touch and he let Davis back into the match, eventually succumbing 13-10. Indeed the most memorable moment from this match was when Holt was clearing up in one frame and remarkably miscounted, leaving himself now needing snookers to win it. He did pull out a great clearance at the end of the second session to keep himself in it, but the damage had already been done.
His next couple of seasons on the tour were solid if not spectacular, his best performance coming at the 2007 Malta Cup where he defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan for the first time to reach the last 16 where he lost out to Mark King. He did manage to qualify for the Crucible again in 2006 and 2007, but he lost out in the first round on both occasions to Peter Ebdon and eventual winner John Higgins.
2007/8
2007/8 though was a poor season for Michael as he failed to make the last 16 of any ranking event and also failed to qualify for the World Championship, losing out to Michael Judge. The result of this was that he lost his top 32 status that he had held for the past four years and now has to come through two qualifying matches to make the final stages of events.
2008/9
2008/9 though has been much better as he started off by winning matches at the first three events and playing particularly well at the Grand Prix where he defeated the likes of Jimmy White and Mark Allen to reach that last 16.
Despite a horrible 5-4 loss to Robert Milkins in Bahrain from 4-0 up, Michael continued to impress, not just with his snooker but with his mental strength as he has finally started to shake off the reputation as someone weak under pressure that he had built up over the last few seasons. The wins continued to come and by winning his two qualifying matches during the World Championship (his first being a 10-9 success over Mark Davis with a century in the deciding frame), he ensured that he will make an immediate return to the top 32.
