The Masters snooker final reached its conclusion on Sunday with Mark Allen joining the illustrious club of Triple Crown champions after emotionally claiming his maiden major in London.
The standard in the showdown against Kyren Wilson might not live long in the memory but the victory for the Northern Irishman, and the overdue fulfilment of a decade or more of expectation, will resonate for many years to come.
Allen collected a cool £200,000 in prize money and became just the 32nd player to capture one of the so-called Triple Crown tournaments on the calendar – made up of the Masters, the World Championship, and the UK Championship.
These events have created the majority of the sport’s most memorable moments, thanks largely to their long-held, rich association with the BBC.
The trio of prestigious competitions has generated almost 50 years worth of defining occasions that have helped to shape the often dramatic storyline of the sport.
There might be bigger tournaments on the horizon in terms of prize money, but nothing can compare to the history, prestige, and legacy that the Triple Crown fashions.
This is highlighted by its exclusivity, with Allen becoming just the fourth first-time Triple Crown event winner of this decade and the fact is that the players target competing in this kind of snooker final more than any other each season.
The list of champions, dating back to the first World Championship of the modern era in 1969, is a who’s who of the sport’s greatest players.
The question is, can you name all 32 Triple Crown champions?
