World Snooker and the WPBSA have announced an increased prize for a World Championship 147 break on the eve of the tournament in Sheffield.
With the 2019 edition getting under way in just a few hours at the Crucible Theatre, many were wondering what the situation was regarding the maximum feat.
Stuart Bingham’s 147 break in the recent China Open, the penultimate ranking event of the season, meant that the usual rolling prize was reset to just £5,000.
But on Friday World Snooker revealed that the prize for a World Championship 147 in this year’s tournament will rise to a cool £50,000.
A similar boost was needed last year after, funnily enough, Bingham and also Ronnie O’Sullivan compiled the perfect breaks in Beijing.
In 2018, £40,000 was made available so there’s an even greater incentive on this occasion to go for it.
There have been ten 147 breaks in total at the Crucible Theatre, with Cliff Thorburn memorably achieving the first way back in 1983.
Nine years later, Jimmy White became the second player on the list before Stephen Hendry made his first against the former in the 1995 semi-finals en route to a fifth World Championship title.
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s knock in 1997 stands as the most famous 147 break ever after needing just five minutes and eight seconds to complete the remarkable clearance.
Between 2003 and 2012, there were six more maximum breaks but there hasn’t been any in the last seven years.
Hendry’s third during his farewell championship on the eve of his professional retirement was the last to be compiled.
The Scot and O’Sullivan have each made three at the Crucible so there could be a chance for the “Rocket” to eclipse another of Hendry’s records during this year’s event.
In total, there has been a dozen 147 breaks made throughout the 2018/19 campaign.
Ronnie’s record has been recently acknowledged as 5 minutes 8 seconds by Guinness.
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-147-break-in-snooker
Thanks. I had actually been aware of this but forgot again, probably as a result of repeatedly making the mistake like almost everyone else for 22 years. Edited now!