Barrett flies Tassie flag in Ron Atkins open

The 22-year-old knocked off cousin and Australian number four Kurt Dunham en route to the final four before being eliminated by Johl Younger at the Launceston Worker's Club. 

Younger went on to defeat fellow Victorian Steve Mifsud 6-2 in the final late on Sunday night after the latter endured a huge semi-final battle with Ben Judge.  

Barrett admitted finding things tough in his 5-1 semi-final loss to the eventual champion, but was encouraged by his progression.

"I was happy in the semi-finals - I was only round two last year so it's a big improvement," he said.

'I knocked out some good players on the way through - Kurt Dunham, Adrian Ridley and then ran into Johl Younger in the semis."

Barrett credited more time on the table for his ongoing rise, and said he had been happy to knock off one of his closest friends on the national scene. 

"My family have always had pubs and hotels so there's always been a table in the backyard, but I've playing more and more and going away overseas to these big world championships and they really improve your game.

"We're good mates Kurt and I and we've always been around together and now we've been running into each other in tournaments since he's been back [from overseas].

"It is a good win - this is my first win over him for probably five or six years, he's usually beaten me so it was good to get that win and it's always good to play him."

Last year's inaugural Ron Atkins Classic was won by Western Australian Matthew Bolton.