MICHAEL Holt pulled off a great escape to beat snooker legend Jimmy White and clinch a place in the final qualifying round of the Royal London Watches Grand Prix in Prestatyn.

Holt, the world No.34, looked destined to suffer a heavy defeat when he lost the first three frames – but the 30-year-old Nottingham potter fired in two century breaks as he stormed back to win 5-3.

"It was a good performance because I didn't do anything wrong to go 3-0 down. Jimmy just played really well," Holt said.

"In the past I would have crumbled at 3-0. I would have got annoyed with myself but I can't afford to do that now. I just dug in there and produced some form."

Holt scored only ten points in the first three frames as 46 year-old White knocked in breaks of 83, 40 and 58 to go 3-0 up.

But Holt turned the tide with runs of 102 and 105 to draw level and finally clinched victory on the pink in frame eight.

Holt was today facing Irishman Michael Judge, who beat him in the final qualifying round of last season's World Championship.

The defeat relegated Holt from the world's top 32 ranked players, condemning him to having to play an extra match in each of this season's major events.

However, he is trying to remain positive and claw his way back up the ranking list.

"It's important to get to the venue but I want to do more than that. I want to get to semi-finals and finals," said Holt, who has reached three ranking event quarter-finals in his career.

"I just have to keep working hard and believing in myself because I think I'm good enough."

The final stages of the Grand Prix take place at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow from October 11-19.