The two-year wait to earn a ticket to Gleneagles will finally come to an end today for some of the world’s best golfers, just as an Irish club pro and his six-handicapper team-mate tee off at the Scottish resort in search of silverware.

Matthew Stevens ended his nine-year wait for his first ranking tournament title in York tonight by beating Stephen Hendry 10-8 to become Travis Perkins UK champion.

The snooker marvel from Auchterarder in Perthshire - whose record seventh title came in 1999 - will face Matthew Stevens or Peter Ebdon in the final at the Crucible today and tomorrow.