Snooker|Dene O’Kane was considered the greatest snooker player in his country.
A New Zealander former snooker pro Dene O’Kane has died at the age of 61.
O’Kane, regarded as the best snooker player in New Zealand history, had had a fatal fall at his home on Waiheke Island.
He was taken to a hospital in Auckland, where he died on Tuesday.
O’Kane’s death was told among other things New Zealand Herald-newspaper.
Born in Auckland in 1963, O’Kane turned professional snooker in 1984. He had won the New Zealand Amateur Championship in 1980.
However, the man made his biggest achievements outside the professional tables. O’Kane won the Australian Open in 2005 and 2008 and the Oceania Championships in 2006 and 2007.
O’Kane won the amateur World Masters tournament in 2004, 2005 and 2008.
As a professional, O’Kane’s best achievement in the snooker world championships was reaching the quarter-finals in 1987 and 1992. He reached 18th place in the world rankings at his best.
O’Kane was a respected and well-liked figure on the pro tour. He was one of the few non-European pioneers of his time who managed to build a successful professional career for himself.
In prize money, O’Kane earned around £415,000 in his career. After permanently retiring from playing professionally, O’Kane became a real estate agent in 2007.
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