CHRIS WAKELIN has revealed he almost pulled out of the Scottish Open after his one-year-old daughter became ill and was hospitalised.
On Sunday night, the Rugby potter banked £100,000 as he thrashed Chang Bingyu 9-2 in the final in Edinburgh to receive the Stephen Hendry Trophy.
Yet on the day of his first-round win over Oliver Lines on Tuesday, December 16, his little girl Mia required urgent medical treatment while the family were in Scotland.
Wakelin, 33, explained: “We got up here on the Sunday and by Tuesday lunchtime we were in hospital with her.
“She wasn’t very well. Thankfully the nurses managed to get her back.
“When I got back from my first round match, she and my fiancée Lucy were right as rain back at the hotel.
“To think that in the last five days, we have gone from nearly pulling out to being stood here now with the trophy.
“I will never forget the moment I was able to celebrate with them both.
“Lucy stayed in a different hotel on Saturday to give me a little bit of a break the night before the final.
“I also had pneumonia last week. I’ve got so many excuses. More excuses than when I lose.”
Wakelin is now up to 14th in the world rankings with £529,200 against his name.
But he has missed out on next month’s Masters at the Ally Pally as his elevation into the top 16 has come too late for the Triple Crown cut-off.
He said: “This is mind-blowing for me. A couple of years ago, I couldn’t see myself walking out in a big final and holding myself together.
“It has been such a strange year. I got to the quarters of the World Championship and semis in Saudi, but other than that I hadn’t done anything.
“It is strange finding myself in the latter stages of tournaments. This season has been hard.”
