Snooker player Mark Lloyd handed £1,000 boost towards potential place on the professional tour

The 20-year-old from Gosport travels north to Sheffield for three back-to-back tournaments starting on August 3.

Twelve qualifiers from the event at the English Institute of Sport will receive two-year tour cards for the professional snooker circuit.

Lloyd was nominated for the award by the English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards for winning the English Under-21 Championship and for topping the national under-21 rankings.

He accepts that preparations have not been ideal during the lockdown but points out that all the players are in the same boat.

‘I’m really looking forward to participating in Q School for the first time,’ said Lloyd.

‘Most of us haven’t had the practice that we would usually have so anything could happen in this Q School.

‘Everyone has the same chance of qualifying.

‘I’ve just got to hope that I turn up on the day and play how I know that I can play.

‘Hopefully the balls go in my favour and I’ll be able to get some results under my belt.’

Lloyd - whose girlfriend is the women’s world number 21, Chloe White - added: ‘I’ve managed to keep my hand in through having access to a private practice table.

‘It’s not quite getting the match practice or the conditions of Q School but I’m very grateful and appreciative of having the opportunity to have a knock.

‘I just want to get out there and see what happens.’

Meanwhile, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced this week that snooker clubs can now re-open.