15-YEAR-OLD Liam Davies may have just become the youngest player to win a World Championship match, but he's refusing to get carried away as he aims to secure a tour card for next season.

Davies took the record when he beat world number 88 Aaron Hill last week at the English Institute of Sport in the first qualifying round for the Betfred World Championship.

At 15 years and 277 days, he was two days younger than previous record holder Ben Mertens when the Belgian beat James Cahill in 2020.

The Tredegar youngster won his spot in the qualifiers after he reached the semi-finals of the recent World Snooker Federation Junior Championship.

He also played in front of a home crowd at the ICC Wales after getting a wildcard into round one of the BetVictor Welsh Open, where he was narrowly beaten by Ukrainian teenager Iulian Boiko.

After his record-breaking win, Davies then beat former British Open champion Fergal O’Brien 6-5 on Thursday, to put him two wins away from playing at the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

But it was not to be for Davies, as last year’s Welsh Open winner Jordan Brown edged into the final qualifying round 6-5.

Davies fought back from 3-1 and 5-3 down to force a decider, but ultimately it wasn’t enough for the youngster.

“I played okay, I didn't play my best stuff but I got two wins” he said. “But the experience, as a 15-year-old playing in a tournament as prestigious as this - you can't buy that.

“The game at the ICC, I was 3-0 up and lost - that really hurt. And I lost the semis at the Junior Championship, so just to go and get those couple of wins, I was pleased.

“I'm just taking it as it comes. It's great to have those two wins, but at the end of the day, it's two wins. So I'm going to keep going and hopefully get onto the tour. If I don't do it this year, I'm still young, so have time to do it.”

South Wales Argus: Liam Davies in action in Sheffield. Picture: World Snooker Tour.Liam Davies in action in Sheffield. Picture: World Snooker Tour.

Davies has been coached by Lee Walker since he was six years old, and trains alongside three-time World Champion Mark Williams.

“It's great really,” he said. “I don't think there's many 15-year-olds who have that experience in the game around them as I do with Lee and Mark. I can't thank them enough.”

He also thanked his parents, Clair and Leyton.

“I wouldn't have been able to do this without them and they've supported me ever since I started playing when I was six,” he said.

Davies has received high praise after his run in the World Championship qualifiers, none more so than from Brown himself.

“Remember the name, Liam Davies,” Brown said, speaking to World Snooker. “What a player for his age.

“Just keep doing what he's doing. He’s just a fantastic talent.

“He just he really impressed me there tonight. He's got a bright future ahead of him.

“It’s the World Championships. It does all sorts to you. I was gone at one stage out there, mainly down to Liam. He just put me under so much pressure. It was just so impressive and I was just relieved to get over the line in the end.”

However, Davies is keen not to get too carried away.

“I try not to get too involved in that. If I keep doing what I'm doing then hopefully I'll get to the top.”

And when asked about the record, he said: “It's just a bonus really. I'm trying not to think about that as it puts too much pressure on me. If I win, I win. If I don't, it's back to the practice table.”