Australian Mike Corren claimed his 26th PSA World Tour squash title at the Golden Open PSA International in Western Australia to equal the current record total shared by Egyptian Amr Shabana and illustrious compatriot David Palmer.
The South Australian cruised to a straight games win over fellow countryman Nathan Stevenson in the final of the $3,650Satellite event at the YMCA Squash Centre in Kalgoorlie.
Corren downed second-seeded Queenslander Stevenson 11-9, 11-2, 11-4 to move alongside Palmer and Shabana on the highest number of Tour titles won by current players.
Stevenson was taken the distance in all his earlier rounds while Corren had an easier run to the final, and this became obvious when after a tight first game the top seed raced away with the second and third to clinch his second consecutiveGolden Open.
The 36-year-old has the chance to move ahead of Palmer and Shabana at this week’s South Australian Open, where Corren has been named as the second seed behind compatriot Matthew Karwalski.
While former top 40 player Corren is somewhat embarrassed when he is compared with his colleagues, both ex-world number ones, his achievement cannot be underestimated.
Corren won his first title in Hong Kong in 1996 and has been collecting them all over the world ever since, despite missing significant parts of his career through a series of injuries.
The colourful Aussie, currently ranked 87th in the world, shows no signs of slowing down at a time when most of his earlier opponents have retired from the Tour.
He claimed six titles in 2009 including the Golden Open, and has already won two this year while finishing as runner-up in two others.
He has given himself a gruelling schedule this winter and has entered every tournament on the Australian Squash Tour.
His next target on the all-time winners’ list is Canadian Jonathon Power‘s total of 37 PSA Tour titles.
1st round:
[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bt Jamie Mcervale (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-9 (22m)
[Q] Edward Dromgool (NZL) bt [8] Ben Werchon (AUS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 (25m)
[3] Justin Beard (AUS) bt James Skiffington (NZL) 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 (25m)
[7] Alex Grayson (NZL) bt [Q] Walter Koteka (AUS) 11-7, 11-1, 11-8 (27m)
[6] Peter Taylor (AUS) bt [Q] Jack Molloy (AUS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (22m)
[4] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Tim Cowell (AUS) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (29m)
[5] Jacob Alexander (AUS) bt [Q] Jake Davidson (AUS) 11-2, 11-5, 11-4 (18m)
[2] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) bt Sunil Seth (AUS) 12-10, 8-11, 11-13, 11-4, 11-7 (65m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [Q] Edward Dromgool (NZL) 11-2, 11-2, 11-4 (16m)
[7] Alex Grayson (NZL) bt [3] Justin Beard (AUS) 5-11, 6-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-7 (80m)
[4] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [6] Peter Taylor (AUS) 11-7, 11-8, 12-10 (44m)
[2] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) bt [5] Jacob Alexander (AUS) 11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 11-7 (55m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [7] Alex Grayson (NZL) 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (34m)
[2] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) bt [4] Rex Hedrick (AUS) 6-11, 11-4, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 (55m)
Final:
[1] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [2] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) 11-9, 11-2, 11-4 (21m)