WORLD No.7 John Parrott could be forced to miss the #200,000 Thailand

Open in July because the qualifying rounds for the event clash with his

wedding.

Parrott's participation in the tournament rests on whether next

Wednesday's extraordinary general meeting of the World Professional

Billiards and Snooker Association exempts the top 16 players from

qualifying.

But regardless of that decision, Parrott's marriage to fiancee, Karen,

will go ahead. He said: ''If I am told I have to play in the qualifying

rounds, I will not go. My wedding comes first, it's the most important

day of my life.''

He slammed the WPBSA for overloading what he sees as an already

saturated tournament calendar. He said: ''I don't want to play snooker

for 12 months a year. We do have lives to lead outside the game.

''If I were as far in front in the world rankings as Steve Davis, I

would seriously think of not going to Thailand at all. To take 32

players over there for a fortnight is nonsensical.''

Parrott's concern did not seem to affect his performance in the third

round of the #350,000 Anglian Windows British Open at Derby yesterday,

as he sprinted to a 5-1 win over Londoner Jon Wright.

The 24-year-old Liverpudlian, who captured his first world-ranking

title, the European Open, a fortnight ago, completed the rout with a

break of 118.

Doug Mountjoy, the Welsh professional champion, booked his place in

the fourth round with an easy 5-0 win over out-of-touch Canadian Marcel

Gauvreau. The revitalised Mountjoy has now lost only one of his past 18

matches.

The 46-year-old now meets Livingston's Murdo Macleod, who notched up a

tight 5-4 win over Silvino Francisco.

Another Scot through to the last 32 is Stephen Hendry, who quickly won

last night's match against Craig Edwards by 5-0. Former English amateur

champion Steve Longworth was another winner, beating fellow-Lancastrian

Ken Owers 5-1.

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SCOTTISH Amateur and Open snooker champion Drew Henry, 20, chases

another title tonight when he plays in the final of the Rothmans

individual championship at the Masters Club, Dennistoun.

Henry, from Burnside, beat Richie McDonald 4-0 to book a meeting with

Scott MacFarlane in the best-of-nine-frames final. The 18-year-old

MacFarlane won his semi by four frames to one against former national

champion Jimmy McNellan.

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