Marcus Campbell went out to home hero and defending champion Ding Junhui in Beijing – but there was time enough for the Scot to pay a moving tribute to friend Billy Peterkin, tragically hit and killed by a car on his stag do last year.
Peterkin was known to many in the snooker fraternity north of the border, and Dumbarton’s Campbell was asked by another friend present in Marbella at the time to wear one of the Union Jack ties distributed on the trip at the China Open, with the first anniversary of his death fast approaching.
“It is coming up to the first anniversary of the death of a friend known to a few players, Billy Peterkin, who was tragically killed on his stag do last year,” said Campbell.
“I wasn’t actually on the stag do but he had handed out bow ties to everyone there, and at a recent charity event one of those present when it happened asked me to wear it as a mark of respect which I was very happy to do.”