Welsh Open (snooker)

Welsh Open
Tournament information
Venue Motorpoint Arena
Location Cardiff
Country Wales
Established 1992
Organisation(s) World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association
Format Ranking event
Total prize fund £310,000[1][2]
Current champion(s) Scotland John Higgins

The Welsh Open is a professional ranking snooker tournament. It replaced the Welsh Professional Championship, which started in 1980 and was only open to Welsh players.

Since the tournament's creation in 1992, Mark Williams has been the only Welsh player to win the championship (in 1996 and 1999). John Higgins holds the record for the most wins, with four Welsh Open titles. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan have both won the tournament three times.

John Higgins is the reigning champion.

History

The tournament began as a ranking tournament in 1992 initially in February after the Masters, but later took the spot of the Classic in January. The event was sponsored by Regal until 2003 (known as the Regal Welsh Open), but UK restrictions on tobacco advertising meant that it was without a sponsor until 2009.[3] The tournament was sponsored by Totesport.com in 2010,[4] by Wyldecrest Park Homes in 2011,[5] by 888真人 in 2012,[6] and is currently sponsored by BetVictor.[7][8]

In 1996 at the age of 17 years and 111 days Paul Hunter reached the semi-finals and became the youngest player to reach this stage of a ranking tournament.[3]

John Higgins holds the record for the most Welsh Open titles, having won the event on 4 occasions.

Like the Welsh Professional Championship, it was played at the Newport Centre in Newport, before moving to the Cardiff International Arena in 1999. It was moved back to Newport in 2005,[3] where it remained until 2014.[9] In January 2014, World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn announced that the 2014 tournament would be the last held in Newport, and that he would open negotiations to move the event to a larger venue, most likely in Cardiff.[10] In June 2014, it was then announced that the 2015 event will be held at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff.[11] The tournament currently takes place after the German Masters, and is broadcast by BBC Wales, Eurosport, CCTV, SMG, Now TV and Showtime Arabia.

There have been five maximum breaks in the history of the tournament. The first was made by Ronnie O'Sullivan in 1999 against James Wattana. The second was made at the qualifying stage of the 2000 event by Barry Pinches against Joe Johnson. The third was made by Andrew Higginson in 2007 against Ali Carter. The fourth 147 was made in 2011 by Hendry against Stephen Maguire.[12] This was Hendry's 10th 147 break and with this he equalled the record for most maximums with Ronnie O'Sullivan.[13] He also became the oldest player to compile a maximum break at the age of 42 years and 35 days.[14] The fifth was made by O'Sullivan in 2014 against Ding Junhui. This was O'Sullivan's 12th 147 break and with it he set the record for most maximums.[2]

Winners

The Welsh Open trophy on display at the Alexandra Palace during the 2014 Masters

[3][15][16][17]

Year Winner Runner-up Final score Season
1992 Scotland Stephen Hendry Wales Darren Morgan 9–3 1991/92
1993 Republic of Ireland Ken Doherty Scotland Alan McManus 9–7 1992/93
1994 England Steve Davis Scotland Alan McManus 9–6 1993/94
1995 England Steve Davis Scotland John Higgins 9–3 1994/95
1996 Wales Mark Williams England John Parrott 9–3 1995/96
1997 Scotland Stephen Hendry England Mark King 9–2 1996/97
1998 England Paul Hunter Scotland John Higgins 9–5 1997/98
1999 Wales Mark Williams Scotland Stephen Hendry 9–8 1998/99
2000 Scotland John Higgins England Stephen Lee 9–8 1999/00
2001 Republic of Ireland Ken Doherty England Paul Hunter 9–2 2000/01
2002 England Paul Hunter Republic of Ireland Ken Doherty 9–7 2001/02
2003 Scotland Stephen Hendry Wales Mark Williams 9–5 2002/03
2004 England Ronnie O'Sullivan England Steve Davis 9–8 2003/04
2005 England Ronnie O'Sullivan Scotland Stephen Hendry 9–8 2004/05
2006 England Stephen Lee England Shaun Murphy 9–4 2005/06
2007 Australia Neil Robertson England Andrew Higginson 9–8 2006/07
2008 England Mark Selby England Ronnie O'Sullivan 9–8 2007/08
2009 England Ali Carter Northern Ireland Joe Swail 9–5 2008/09
2010 Scotland John Higgins England Ali Carter 9–4 2009/10
2011 Scotland John Higgins Scotland Stephen Maguire 9–6 2010/11
2012[18] China Ding Junhui England Mark Selby 9–6 2011/12
2013[19] Scotland Stephen Maguire England Stuart Bingham 9–8 2012/13
2014[20] England Ronnie O'Sullivan China Ding Junhui 9–3 2013/14
2015[21] Scotland John Higgins England Ben Woollaston 9–3 2014/15

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Prize Money Breakdowns 2013/14". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 1 May 2013. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Magical Maximum Seals Rocket Triumph". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Turner, Chris. "Welsh Open". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  4. ↑ "Totesport.com Named Sponsor For Snooker’s Welsh Open". World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 21 January 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  5. ↑ "Wyldecrest Park Homes To Sponsor Snooker's Welsh Open". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  6. ↑ "888真人Sponsor Welsh Open". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "BetVictor Sponsor Welsh Open". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  8. ↑ "BetVictor Renew Sponsorship Of Welsh Open". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 6 January 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "Newport secures Welsh Open deal for next three years". BBC Sport. 10 November 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  10. ↑ "Welsh Open snooker tournament to leave Newport Centre". BBC News. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "Welsh Open Set For Cardiff". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  12. ↑ Turner, Chris. "Maximum Breaks". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  13. ↑ "Hendry Out Despite Maximum". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 17 February 2011.
  14. ↑ Turner, Chris. "Various Snooker Records". Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
  15. ↑ "Welsh Open". Snooker Scene. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  16. ↑ "Roll Of Honour". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  17. ↑ "Hall of Fame". Snooker.org. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  18. ↑ "888真人 Welsh Open (2012)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  19. ↑ "BetVictor Welsh Open (2013)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  20. ↑ "BetVictor Welsh Open (2014)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  21. ↑ "BetVictor Welsh Open (2015)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 16 May 2014.