Welsh Open 2018

Welsh Open 2018
Tournament type:	World ranking tournament
Attendees:	129
Venue:	Motorpoint Arena , Cardiff , Wales
Opening:	February 26, 2018
Endgame:	4th March 2018
Winner:	John Higgins
Finalist:	Barry Hawkins
Highest Break:	144 ( John Higgins )
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The ManBetX Welsh Open in 2018 were a world ranking tournament at the Snooker - season 2017/18 , which from February 26 to March 4, 2018 in the Motorpoint Arena Cardiff was held. The tournament was held for the tenth time in the Welsh capital Cardiff , and for the fourth time in a row in the Motorpoint Arena. The Welsh Open concluded the Home Nations series , which consists of four tournaments in the four parts of the United Kingdom.

Stuart Bingham was the defending champion from last year, but this time he was eliminated in the third round. The winner was John Higgins , who defeated the Englishman Barry Hawkins 9: 7 in the final. It was his 30th ranking win and his fifth Welsh Open victory, making him the sole record winner of the tournament.

Prize money

The prize money for all four tournaments in the Home Nations series remained unchanged.

	Prize money
winner	£ 70,000
finalist	£ 30,000
Semi-finalist	£ 20,000
Quarter finalist	£ 10,000
Round of 16	£ 6,000
Last 32	£ 3,500
Last 64	£ 2,500
Highest break	£ 2,000
All in all	£ 366,000

The Rolling 147 Prize for a maximum break was £ 20,000.

Tournament results

As before at the Scottish Open , 127 professionals had registered for the tournament. Since the Welsh Federation was also allowed to give wild cards to two local players and only one place was left, the two, Darren Morgan and Rhydian Richards , had to play an elimination game. Up to the round of 16, four winning frames ( Best of 7 mode ) were played.

Pre-qualification

game Player 1 Result Player 2 1 (WC)  Darren Morgan  4th3: 43  Rhydian Richards  (toilet)

First round to round of 16

Upper half 1

	First round best of 7 frames					Second round best of 7 frames					Third round best of 7 frames					Round of 16 best of 7 frames
	1	Stuart Bingham	4th
	107	Chen Zhe	1
						1	Stuart Bingham	4th
						A.	Jackson Page	2
	A.	Jackson Page a	4th
	122	Sean O'Sullivan	3
											1	Stuart Bingham	1
											54	Matthew Stevens	4th
	65	Scott Donaldson	4th
	48	Fergal O'Brien	2
						65	Scott Donaldson	2
						54	Matthew Stevens	4th
	54	Matthew Stevens	4th
	78	Ken Doherty	1
																54	Matthew Stevens	2
																26th	Yan Bingtao	4th
	16	Ryan Day	2
	119	Kurt Dunham	4th
						119	Kurt Dunham	2
						26th	Yan Bingtao	4th
	98	Jimmy White	3
	26th	Yan Bingtao	4th
											26th	Yan Bingtao	4th
											46	Peter Ebdon	1
	86	Wang Yuchen	1
	46	Peter Ebdon	4th
						46	Peter Ebdon	4th
						29	Anthony Hamilton	1
	29	Anthony Hamilton	4th
	24	David Gilbert	3

^aAfter the cancellation of the Northern Irishman Joe Swail , Jackson Page received the vacated place as the best-placed player in the Q-School rankings, as in the UK Championship and Scottish Open .

Upper half 2

	First round best of 7 frames					Second round best of 7 frames					Third round best of 7 frames					Round of 16 best of 7 frames
	88	Fang Xiongman	4th
	103	Yuan Sijun	3
						88	Fang Xiongman	4th
						101	Chen Zifan	2
	101	Chen Zifan	4th
	31	Zhou Yuelong	1
											88	Fang Xiongman	2
											9	Barry Hawkins	4th
	120	Rod Lawler	0
	35	Tom Ford	4th
						35	Tom Ford	0
						9	Barry Hawkins	4th
	9	Barry Hawkins	4th
	102	Niu Zhuang	1
																9	Barry Hawkins	4th
																23	Martin Gould	2
	93	Li Yuan	1
	21st	Ricky Walden	4th
						21st	Ricky Walden	3
						23	Martin Gould	4th
	27	Michael White	2
	23	Martin Gould	4th
											23	Martin Gould	4th
											8th	Mark Williams	2
	79	Aditya Mehta	4th
	83	Martin O'Donnell	3
						79	Aditya Mehta	3
						8th	Mark Williams	4th
	8th	Mark Williams	4th
	19th	Mark King	2

Upper half 3

	First round best of 7 frames					Second round best of 7 frames					Third round best of 7 frames					Round of 16 best of 7 frames
	5	Ding Junhui	4th
	76	Hammad Miah	0
						5	Ding Junhui	1
						68	Liam Highfield	4th
	36	Li Hang	-
	68	Liam Highfield	kl.
											68	Liam Highfield	4th
											60	Chris Wakelin	1
	28	Xiao Guodong	0
	60	Chris Wakelin	4th
						60	Chris Wakelin	4th
						56	Andrew Higginson	2
	56	Andrew Higginson	4th
	100	Ashley Hugill	3
																68	Liam Highfield	3
																99	Ian Burns	4th
	12	Neil Robertson	4th
	40	Mark Davis	1
						12	Neil Robertson	3
						99	Ian Burns	4th
	109	Jamie Curtis-Barrett	1
	99	Ian Burns	4th
											99	Ian Burns	4th
											73	Sunny Akani	2
	45	Jamie Jones	4th
	82	Alexander Ursenbacher	1
						45	Jamie Jones	1
						73	Sunny Akani	4th
	63	Tian Pengfei	1
	73	Sunny Akani	4th

Upper half 4

	First round best of 7 frames					Second round best of 7 frames					Third round best of 7 frames					Round of 16 best of 7 frames
	92	Zhang Yong	1
	84	James Wattana	4th
						84	James Wattana	4th
						25th	Michael Holt	2
	25th	Michael Holt	4th
	71	Elliot Slessor	2
											84	James Wattana	3
											13	Kyren Wilson	4th
	53	Rory McLeod	4th
	94	Adam Duffy	2
						53	Rory McLeod	0
						13	Kyren Wilson	4th
	13	Kyren Wilson	4th
	34	Robert Milkins	1
																13	Kyren Wilson	0
																57	Noppon Saengkham	4th
	91	Craig Steadman	4th
	125	David John	1
						91	Craig Steadman	4th
						52	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh	2
	44	Hossein Vafaei	2
	52	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh	4th
											91	Craig Steadman	2
											57	Noppon Saengkham	4th
	57	Noppon Saengkham	4th
	110	Ross Muir	2
						57	Noppon Saengkham	4th
						4th	Judd Trump	1
	4th	Judd Trump	4th
	112	Duane Jones	3

Lower half 1

	First round best of 7 frames					Second round best of 7 frames					Third round best of 7 frames					Round of 16 best of 7 frames
	3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	kl.
	105	Robin Hull	-
						3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	4th
						22nd	Graeme Dott	0
	116	Sanderson Lam	0
	22nd	Graeme Dott	4th
											3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	4th
											66	David Grace	0
	66	David Grace	4th
	WC	Rhydian Richards	3
						66	David Grace	4th
						85	Jak Jones	0
	69	Mei Xiwen	3
	85	Jak Jones	4th
																3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	4th
																42	Mike Dunn	0
	14th	Luca Brecel	4th
	106	Josh Boileau	2
						14th	Luca Brecel	1
						42	Mike Dunn	4th
	121	Hamza Akbar	0
	42	Mike Dunn	4th
											42	Mike Dunn	4th
											87	Xu Si	2
	30th	Alan McManus	0
	87	Xu Si	4th
						87	Xu Si	4th
						58	Michael Georgiou	2
	77	Mitchell Mann	0
	58	Michael Georgiou	4th

Lower half 2

	First round best of 7 frames					Second round best of 7 frames					Third round best of 7 frames					Round of 16 best of 7 frames
	117	Paul Davison	2
	74	Lü Haotian	4th
						74	Lü Haotian	2
						37	Jack Lisowski	4th
	37	Jack Lisowski	4th
	39	Mark Joyce	3
											37	Jack Lisowski	3
											118	Nigel Bond	4th
	118	Nigel Bond	4th
	126	Lukas Kleckers	2
						118	Nigel Bond	4th
						11	Allister Carter	3
	11	Allister Carter	4th
	124	Rhys Clark	0
																118	Nigel Bond	0
																6th	John Higgins	4th
	80	Sam Craigie	4th
	123	Leo Fernandez	0
						80	Sam Craigie	4th
						41	Kurt Maflin	1
	33	Jimmy Robertson	0
	41	Kurt Maflin	4th
											80	Sam Craigie	0
											6th	John Higgins	4th
	20th	Joe Perry	2
	18th	Stephen Maguire	4th
						18th	Stephen Maguire	1
						6th	John Higgins	4th
	6th	John Higgins	4th
	43	Matthew Selt	2

Lower half 3

	First round best of 7 frames					Second round best of 7 frames					Third round best of 7 frames					Round of 16 best of 7 frames
	7th	Shaun Murphy	0
	89	Gerard Greene	4th
						89	Gerard Greene	4th
						51	Stuart Carrington	3
	51	Stuart Carrington	4th
	90	Peter Lines	3
											89	Gerard Greene	3
											67	John Astley	4th
	38	Dominic Dale	4th
	111	Chris Totten	0
						38	Dominic Dale	2
						67	John Astley	4th
	67	John Astley	4th
	70	Zhang Anda	2
																67	John Astley	2
																49	Gary Wilson	4th
	10	Mark Allen	4th
	50	Cao Yupeng	2
						10	Mark Allen	4th
						115	Soheil Vahedi	1
	97	Alex Borg	0
	115	Soheil Vahedi	4th
											10	Mark Allen	3
											49	Gary Wilson	4th
	49	Gary Wilson	4th
	59	Sam Baird	1
						49	Gary Wilson	4th
						64	Daniel Wells	3
	64	Daniel Wells	4th
	72	Lee Walker	1

Lower half 4

	First round best of 7 frames					Second round best of 7 frames					Third round best of 7 frames					Round of 16 best of 7 frames
	62	Oliver Lines	4th
	104	Eden Sharav	3
						62	Oliver Lines	2
						47	Yu Delu	4th
	47	Yu Delu	4th
	108	Billy Castle	2
											47	Yu Delu	4th
											32	Ben Woollaston	0
	95	Thor Chuan Leong	3
	32	Ben Woollaston	4th
						32	Ben Woollaston	4th
						15th	Anthony McGill	3
	15th	Anthony McGill	4th
	127	Basem Eltahhan	1
																47	Yu Delu	4th
																17th	Liang Wenbo	1
	55	Robbie Williams	4th
	96	Allan Taylor	0
						55	Robbie Williams	4th
						81	Ian Preece	0
	81	Ian Preece	4th
	75	Zhao Xintong	2
											55	Robbie Williams	3
											17th	Liang Wenbo	4th
	61	Alfie Burden	3
	17th	Liang Wenbo	4th
						17th	Liang Wenbo	4th
						2	Mark Selby	3
	2	Mark Selby	4th
	113	Christopher Keogan	2

A = amateur player (qualified via the Q-School-Order-of-Merit)
WC = wildcard player of the Welsh association WBSA
kl. = without a fight

Quarter-finals to finals

	Quarterfinals Best of 9 Frames					Semi-final best of 11 frames					Final Best of 17 frames
	26th	Yan Bingtao	1
	9	Barry Hawkins	5
						9	Barry Hawkins	6th
						57	Noppon Saengkham	4th
	99	Ian Burns	3
	57	Noppon Saengkham	5
											9	Barry Hawkins	7th
											6th	John Higgins	9
	3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	1
	6th	John Higgins	5
						6th	John Higgins	6th
						49	Gary Wilson	2
	49	Gary Wilson	5
	47	Yu Delu	2

Final: Best of 17 Frames Referee: Terry Camilleri Motorpoint Arena ,  Cardiff , Wales , 4th March 2018
Barry Hawkins	7: 9	John Higgins
Afternoon games: 66 : 55, 0: 138 (138), 70 : 68 (Higgins 68), 0: 141 (141), 66 : 16, 131 : 0 (130), 14: 83 (51), 15: 73 ( 58) Evening games: 1: 56 , 44: 59 , 125 : 6 (103), 142 : 0 (138), 44: 70 (66), 55: 65 , 82 : 0 (82), 0: 72 (64)
138	Highest break	141
3	Century breaks	2
4th	50+ breaks	7th

Century breaks

66 century breaks were achieved in the course of the tournament, the winner John Higgins alone achieved 10 breaks of 100 or more points, including the highest tournament break in the round of 16 with 144 points.

John Higgins 144, 141, 138, 136, 115, 113, 107, 106, 101, 100 Mark Selby 143, 100 Barry Hawkins 141, 138, 137, 130, 103 Martin Gould 141, 110 Gary Wilson 140, 124, 105, 101 Noppon Saengkham 139, 120, 102 Kyren Wilson 136, 105, 100 (2 ×) Mark Williams 134, 129, 106 Ronnie O'Sullivan 133, 117, 106, 100 Ian Burns 131, 106 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 131, 101 Neil Robertson 130, 100 (2 ×) Elliot Slessor 129, 115 Ben Woollaston 129

Cao Yupeng 124 Mark Allen 119, 116 Stuart Bingham 118 Zhang Anda 118 Liam Highfield 115 Jack Lisowski 114, 104 (2 ×), 103 Sonny Akani 111, 108 Robbie Williams 111 Yan Bingtao 110 Ryan Day 107 Mark King 104 Kurt Dunham 103 Stephen Maguire 102 Gerard Greene 102

swell

1. ↑ Welsh Open Final - Extra Tickets Released. In: worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association , accessed February 17, 2018 . 
2. ↑ Indicative Prize Money Rankings Schedule 2017/2018 Season. (PDF; 88 kB) In: worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association , July 11, 2017, accessed February 17, 2018 . 
3. ↑ Welsh Open 2018 Draw. (PDF; 455 kB) World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association , February 12, 2018, accessed on February 17, 2018 . 
4. ↑ Home Nations Series - Welsh Open 2018 - Provisional Format of Play. (PDF; 77 kB) World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association , February 13, 2018, accessed on February 17, 2018 (English). 
5. ^ Welsh Open (2018). In: snooker.org. Retrieved February 17, 2018 . 
6. ^ Page Handed Place In Welsh Open. In: worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association , February 20, 2018, accessed February 20, 2018 . 
7. ↑ ManBetX Welsh Open 2018. (No longer available online.) In: worldsnookerdata.com. World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association , March 3, 2018, archived from the original on February 27, 2018 ; accessed on March 3, 2018 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.