Early Career
He turned professional in 1990. His first season proved to be quite successful as he reached the Last 32 in the Dubai Classic, losing out 2-5 to former World Billiards Champion Rex Williams. He the followed this up with a run to the Quarter Finals of the Classic, losing 2-5 to Mike Hallett His best run in a ranking tournament was in 1996, when he reached the final of the International Open, beating World Champion Stephen Hendry 5–3 in the second round, but his run ended in the final where he lost 9–3 to John Higgins.
He also reached the final of the 1994 Benson and Hedges Championship, losing 5-9 to Mark Williams in the Final.
In 1995, Lawler reached the Semi-final of the Malta Masters, beating future UK Champion Matthew Stevens in the Quarter Final, however he lost in the Semi-final to the home favorite Tony Drago. He followed up this result by reaching the Last 16 of the Grand Prix, beating the aforementioned Tony Drago in the Last 32, before being whitewashed 5-0 by Stephen Hendry.
Lawler has qualified for the final stages of the World Championship on two occasions, the first being in 1995, where he beat a young Marcus Campbell in qualifying, before losing to Peter Ebdon in the Last 32 at the Crucible. He qualified again in 1996, beating former World Champion Dennis Taylor in the final qualifying round. At the Crucible he then beat 1991 World Champion John Parrott 10-6, before losing in the Last 16 to Dave Harold by 13 frames to 6, this was, to date, his best World Championship performance.
In 1997, Lawler reached the Semi-final of the Benson and Hedges Championship, losing a final frame decider against Andy Hicks.
His best result in the UK Championship came in 1998, where he beat Jamie Burnett and John Read, before losing to Matthew Stevens in the Last 16.
Lawler also reached the Quarter Finals of the 2003 Welsh Open, beating players such as Stephen Maguire, Jimmy White and Michael Holt before losing 2-5 to seven time World Champion Stephen Hendry
Read more about this topic: Rod Lawler
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or career:
“I taught school in the early days of my manhood and I think I know something about mothers. There is a thread of aspiration that runs strong in them. It is the fiber that has formed the most unselfish creatures who inhabit this earth. They want three things only; for their children to be fed, to be healthy, and to make the most of themselves.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“I doubt that I would have taken so many leaps in my own writing or been as clear about my feminist and political commitments if I had not been anointed as early as I was. Some major form of recognition seems to have to mark a woman’s career for her to be able to go out on a limb without having her credentials questioned.”
—Ruth Behar (b. 1956)