Sad News: Greatest billiards player dies today at the age of 62
New Zealand’s greatest snooker player Dene O’Kane has passed away at the age of 61. O’Kane was a familiar face in the 1980s in the UK and twice reached the last eight of the World Championship during his 23-year professional career. Eurosport commentator and former world No. 3 snooker player Neal Foulds said O’Kane “always had a touch of class about him
New Zealand snooker icon Dene O’Kane has died at the age of 61.
The two-time World Snooker Championship quarter-finalist and former world No. 18 was a familiar face in the UK during snooker’s 1980s boom period and reached the last eight at the Crucible Theatre in 1987 and 1992.
had been working in real estate since 2007, but recently played a number of matches on the seniors circuit alongside former world champions Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Cliff Thorburn and Dennis Taylor
The 10-time New Zealand national champion also won two Australian Opens and three World Masters Championships as an amateur.
He came close to lifting a major professional event in 1989 when he led Mike Hallett 8-6 in the Hong Kong Open final before losing 9-8.
Former world No. 3 and Eurosport commentator Neal Foulds wrote on X: “I’m waking up to the awfully sad news of the passing of Dene O’Kane. One of the good guys.
“When he came over from NZ in 1980 for Junior Pot Black he was immediately different from the rest of us in a good way. Always had a touch of class about him. Rest in peace Deno.”
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association chairman Jason Ferguson said: “Dene was a massive character. He was interesting, full of life and full of stories.
