Highland Pool Tour set to be named in tribute to world champion

A pool competition is set to be renamed in tribute to a former world champion.

Highland Pool Tour organisers have announced the series will be rebranded the Gavin Phillips Highland Pool Tour.

The gesture has been made in memory of Phillips, who passed away last month.

In addition, organisers have announced a tournament will also take place at the Chieftain Hotel in Inverness in his memory, and are aiming for it to take place later this year.

The Highland Pool Tour is a series of six events which takes place in Inverness, Dingwall, Forres, Orkney and Thurso, with an end of season final with players from across the Highlands and Islands and Moray competing in the tournament.

Co-founder David Masson says due to the huge contribution Phillips made to pool in the north and his success in the game, they felt it was only fitting that the series was renamed in his honour.

“When we were getting the Highland Pool Tour back up and running in 2017, Gavin was one of the first people I spoke to about it,” he said.

“His knowledge and assistance in helping run a good tour up here allowed us to get in touch with the right people to make it happen. He was always at the end of a phone to help.

“The day after we heard he passed away, the committee all felt renaming the tour after him was the right thing to do as he was always right behind the pool tour.”

Organisers say the Highland Pool Tour, as with other sporting competitions, has been affected by the pandemic, but Masson hopes it can resume properly in 2022.

“Everything is on hold due to the pandemic and we will leave the tour until the start of next year,” he said. “But we are hoping to run the Gavin Phillips Memorial Tournament in the Chieftain Hotel in September.

“When it came to pool in this area, you could ask anyone and they would all agree Gavin was the best player.

“He was so clinical in how he played pool and that showed when he became a world champion.”