Contents

2017 UK Championship

2017 Betway UK Championship

Tournament information
Dates	28 November – 10 December 2017 (2017-11-28 – 2017-12-10)
Venue	Barbican Centre
City	York
Country	England
Organisation	World Snooker
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£850,000
Winner's share	£170,000
Highest break	Michael White (WAL) (142)
Final
Champion	Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG)
Runner-up	Shaun Murphy (ENG)
Score	10–5
← 2016 2018 →

The 2017 UK Championship (officially the 2017 Betway UK Championship)^[1] was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 28 November to 10 December 2017 at the Barbican CentreinYork, England. The event was the 41st edition of the UK Championship, first held in 1977, organised by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. It was the eleventh ranking and first Triple Crown event of the 2017/2018 season. The event saw 128 players compete, with no qualification round. The prize fund was a total of £850,000, with £170,000 received by the winner.

Ronnie O'Sullivan equalled Steve Davis's record of six UK titles by defeating Shaun Murphy 10–5 in the final. This was O'Sullivan's 31st ranking and 18th Triple Crown title, also equalling Stephen Hendry's record for most Triple Crown championships. Mark Selby was the defending champion, but he was defeated by Scott Donaldson 3–6 in the last 64. Michael White won the highest break prize, with a 142 made in the second round. The event followed the Northern Ireland Open, and preceded the Scottish Open.

The championship's prize money was identical to that of the previous year's event, with the event winner earning £170,000.^[2][3] The highest break prize of £5,000 was won by Michael White, who completed a 142 break during his second round match with Matthew Selt. The "rolling 147 prize" for a maximum break stood at £15,000, but went unclaimed.^[4] The breakdown of prize money is shown below:^[3]

• Last 64: £5,000
• Last 32: £10,000
• Last 16: £15,000
• Quarter-final: £22,500
• Semi-final: £35,000
• Runner-up: £75,000
• Winner: £170,000
• Highest break: £5,000
• Total: £850,000

The 2017 UK Championship was the eleventh ranking and first Triple Crown event of the 2017/2018 snooker season.^[5] The event saw 128 players from the World Snooker Tour take part, with all matches until the final being played as best of 11 frame matches, with the final being played as best of 19 frame match, held over two sessions.^[6][7] The first round of the competition started on 28 November 2017, with players being seeded according to their world rankings.^[a][8]

The first round saw few upsets, with most of the highest ranked players progressing.^[9] However, Ding Junhui (second seed) was defeated by world number 130 Leo Fernandez 6–5, despite having led 5–1, and having a chance to win the match in frame 7.^[10] Fernandez had only recently returned to the professional circuit after serving a 15-month ban for a corruption charge.^[11] Elsewhere, Ali Carter (11th seed) lost 6–2 to Jimmy White (118). Despite Carter having been ahead 2–1, White won the next five frames to progress.^[12][13] Another upset saw Lyu Haotian (104) defeat Anthony Hamilton (25) 6–1.^[14]

The second round of the tournament was played from 2–3 December and began with defending champion, and world number one Mark Selby losing to Scott Donaldson (64) 3–6.^[10] Donaldson had lost all 10 matches of his season prior to the tournament, won six of the last seven frames to win the match, having trailed 0–2.^[15][16] The remaining top 16 players progressed through the second round, with the lowest ranked player to proceed being Lyu – ranked 104 – who defeated Peter Ebdon 6–3 to reach the third round.^[14]

Round three was played between the remaining 32 players, from 4–5 December 2017, seeing more top 16 players be defeated. Graeme Dott (30) overcame Judd Trump (3) 6–2, despite trailing 2–0. Dott compiled five 50+ breaks, and won the next six frames.^[17] Hoatian who had defeated Hamilton and Ebdon in prior round, defeated Marco Fu (8) 6–4.^[14][17] Both Neil Robertson (9) and Mark Williams (16) were also defeated at this stage, 5–6.^[17] Robertson was defeated by Mark Joyce (41), and caused him to miss the 2018 Masters, after dropping out of the top 16, thanks to the loss.^[17] Sunny Akani (87) whitewashed Barry Hawkins (10) 6–0, with Hawkins commenting after the match that he was "in a state of shock" with the result, commenting on both Akani's performance, and the poor playing conditions.^[18] Williams lost to fellow Welshman Ryan Day (17), having been ahead at 4–1.^[17]

Round four saw the remaining sixteen players play from 6–7 December 2017. Only four top 16 seeded players reached the last 16 of the tournament – John Higgins (4), Shaun Murphy (5), Mark Allen (6) and Ronnie O'Sullivan (7).^[19] This was the fewest top 16 seeds to reach that stage in the tournament's 40-year history.^[20] Higgins played Mark King (21), where he was defeated 5–6. King trailed at both 2–4, and 4–5 but won the match despite making a highest break of just 69.^[21] Murphy would defeat Ricky Walden 6–1, with Walden only winning frame four.^[22] Mark Allen lost to Joe Perry (22) 6–4.^[23][24] O'Sullivan played Sunny Akani in this round, winning the match 6–5, despite being 4–5 behind. O'Sullivan commented after the match that he felt as though he had "robbed" Akani of the win, describing him as being unlucky.^[22]

The quarter-finals took place on 8 December 2017 on two tables. Shaun Murphy completed a 6–1 victory over Mark King.^[25] Post-match, both Murphy and King commented on the audience, with a man being removed for snoring and a woman for talking during the match.^[26] Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated Martin Gould 6–3, after leading 5–0.^[27]

Stephen Maguire defeated Joe Perry 6–3 to set up a semi-final match with O'Sullivan, in a repeat of the 2007 UK Championship final. After beating Maguire in 2007, O'Sullivan commented that Maguire would "dominate for a decade". Reacting to the match from 10 years prior, Maguire stated that O'Sullivan "talks some bollocks", having not dominated the game since that match.^[28][29] Ryan Day also overcame Mark Joyce in a deciding frame 6–5.^[30]

The semi-finals were played on 9 December 2017. The first semi-final saw O'Sullivan defeat Maguire 6–4. O'Sullivan took a 4–0 lead at the interval, before Maguire won four of the next five frames, with O'Sullivan winning the match in frame ten.^[31] The second semi-final saw Shaun Murphy overcome Ryan Day 6–3. Murphy would take a 5–1 lead, before losing the next two frames, and winning the match in frame nine.^[32]

The final was played as best of 19 frames, over two sessions on 10 December 2017. Both O'Sullivan and Murphy had met in the final of the 2017 Champion of Champions the month prior, with Murphy winning 10–8.^[32] Murphy and O'Sullivan would share the first session 4–4, despite Murphy being behind at 2–4.^[33] In the second session, O'Sullivan put together six 50+ breaks including two centuries to win six of the next seven frames to win the match 10–5, winning five frames in a row.^[34][35]

Post match, pundit John Parrott described O'Sullivan as "a genius of a juggernaut", commenting on the impressiveness of the clinical win.^[34][36] The win would be O'Sullivan's sixth UK Championship victory equalling that achieved by Steve Davis, and his 18th Triple Crown victory overall,^[37] equalling the record set by Stephen Hendry.^[38][39]

Below is the results for the tournament. Players in bold denote winners of matches.^[1][40] The player's seedings are based on the player's world ranking prior to the tournament.^[1]

	Last 128 Best of 11 frames					Last 64 Best of 11 frames					Last 32 Best of 11 frames					Last 16 Best of 11 frames
	1	Mark Selby (ENG)	6
	128	Basem Eltahhan (EGY)	4
						1	Mark Selby	3
						64	Scott Donaldson	6
	64	Scott Donaldson (SCO)	6
	65	John Astley (ENG)	2
											64	Scott Donaldson	1
											32	Li Hang	6
	32	Li Hang (CHN)	6
	97	Gerard Greene (NIR)	1
						32	Li Hang	6
						33	Robert Milkins	4
	33	Robert Milkins (ENG)	6
	96	Chen Zhe (CHN)	1
																32	Li Hang	5
																17	Ryan Day	6
	16	Mark Williams (WAL)	6
	113	Paul Davison (ENG)	0
						16	Mark Williams	6
						49	Andrew Higginson	2
	49	Andrew Higginson (ENG)	6
	80	Sam Craigie (ENG)	0
											16	Mark Williams	5
											17	Ryan Day	6
	17	Ryan Day (WAL)	6
	112	Jamie Curtis-Barrett (ENG)	0
						17	Ryan Day	6
						48	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh	3
	48	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (THA)	6
	81	Elliot Slessor (ENG)	5

	Last 128 Best of 11 frames					Last 64 Best of 11 frames					Last 32 Best of 11 frames					Last 16 Best of 11 frames
	41	Mark Joyce (ENG)	6
	88	Thor Chuan Leong (MAS)	3
						41	Mark Joyce	6
						24	David Gilbert	4
	24	David Gilbert (ENG)	6
	105	Christopher Keogan (ENG)	4
											41	Mark Joyce	6
											9	Neil Robertson	5
	56	Gary Wilson (ENG)	3
	73	Ken Doherty (IRL)	6
						73	Ken Doherty	2
						9	Neil Robertson	6
	9	Neil Robertson (AUS)	6
	120	Rod Lawler (ENG)	1
																41	Mark Joyce	6
																104	Lyu Haotian	4
	40	Peter Ebdon (ENG)	6
	89	Allan Taylor (ENG)	3
						40	Peter Ebdon	3
						104	Lyu Haotian	6
	25	Anthony Hamilton (ENG)	1
	104	Lyu Haotian (CHN)	6
											104	Lyu Haotian	6
											8	Marco Fu	4
	57	Rory McLeod (ENG)	5
	72	Zhao Xintong (CHN)	6
						72	Zhao Xintong	4
						8	Marco Fu	6
	8	Marco Fu (HKG)	6
	121	Nigel Bond (ENG)	2

	Last 128 Best of 11 frames					Last 64 Best of 11 frames					Last 32 Best of 11 frames					Last 16 Best of 11 frames
	5	Shaun Murphy (ENG)	6
	124	Hamza Akbar (PAK)	1
						5	Shaun Murphy	6
						69	Liam Highfield	5
	60	Daniel Wells (WAL)	4
	69	Liam Highfield (ENG)	6
											5	Shaun Murphy	6
											37	Jimmy Robertson	3
	28	Alan McManus (SCO)	6
	101	Robin Hull (FIN)	3
						28	Alan McManus	5
						37	Jimmy Robertson	6
	37	Jimmy Robertson (ENG)	6
	92	Alex Borg (MLT)	1
																5	Shaun Murphy	6
																21	Ricky Walden	1
	12	Kyren Wilson (ENG)	6
	117	Sean O'Sullivan (ENG)	1
						12	Kyren Wilson	6
						53	Yu Delu	4
	53	Yu Delu (CHN)	6
	76	Ian Preece (WAL)	2
											12	Kyren Wilson	2
											21	Ricky Walden	6
	21	Ricky Walden (ENG)	6
	108	Duane Jones (WAL)	1
						21	Ricky Walden	6
						44	Jamie Jones	5
	44	Jamie Jones (WAL)	6
	85	Craig Steadman (ENG)	3

	Last 128 Best of 11 frames					Last 64 Best of 11 frames					Last 32 Best of 11 frames					Last 16 Best of 11 frames
	45	Mike Dunn (ENG)	6
	84	Fang Xiongman (CHN)	2
						45	Mike Dunn	4
						20	Mark King	6
	20	Mark King (ENG)	6
	109	Boonyarit Keattikun (THA)	0
											20	Mark King	6
											13	Luca Brecel	3
	52	Sam Baird (ENG)	5
	77	Aditya Mehta (IND)	6
						77	Aditya Mehta	3
						13	Luca Brecel	6
	13	Luca Brecel (BEL)	6
	116	Soheil Vahedi (IRN)	4
																20	Mark King	6
																4	John Higgins	5
	36	Yan Bingtao (CHN)	6
	93	Zhang Yong (CHN)	1
						36	Yan Bingtao	6
						29	Ben Woollaston	1
	29	Ben Woollaston (ENG)	6
	100	Li Yuan (CHN)	2
											36	Yan Bingtao	3
											4	John Higgins	6
	61	Tian Pengfei (CHN)	5
	68	Cao Yupeng (CHN)	6
						68	Cao Yupeng	4
						4	John Higgins	6
	4	John Higgins (SCO)	6
	125	Chris Totten (SCO)	1

	Last 128 Best of 11 frames					Last 64 Best of 11 frames					Last 32 Best of 11 frames					Last 16 Best of 11 frames
	3	Judd Trump (ENG)	6
	126	Matthew Bolton (AUS)	0
						3	Judd Trump	6
						62	Chris Wakelin	0
	62	Chris Wakelin (ENG)	6
	67	Lee Walker (WAL)	1
											3	Judd Trump	2
											30	Graeme Dott	6
	30	Graeme Dott (SCO)	6
	99	Josh Boileau (IRL)	2
						30	Graeme Dott	6
						35	Dominic Dale	5
	35	Dominic Dale (WAL)	6
	94	Adam Duffy (ENG)	0
																30	Graeme Dott	2
																19	Stephen Maguire	6
	14	Liang Wenbo (CHN)	6
	115	Sanderson Lam (ENG)	1
						14	Liang Wenbo	6
						78	Mitchell Mann	1
	51	Stuart Carrington (ENG)	2
	78	Mitchell Mann (ENG)	6
											14	Liang Wenbo	5
											19	Stephen Maguire	6
	19	Stephen Maguire (SCO)	6
	110	Yuan Sijun (CHN)	1
						19	Stephen Maguire	6
						83	Jak Jones	0
	46	David Grace (ENG)	4
	83	Jak Jones (WAL)	6

	Last 128 Best of 11 frames					Last 64 Best of 11 frames					Last 32 Best of 11 frames					Last 16 Best of 11 frames
	43	Jack Lisowski (ENG)	6
	86	Wang Yuchen (CHN)	4
						43	Jack Lisowski	3
						22	Joe Perry	6
	22	Joe Perry (ENG)	6
	107	Billy Joe Castle (ENG)	1
											22	Joe Perry	6
											54	Kurt Maflin	3
	54	Kurt Maflin (NOR)	6
	75	Alexander Ursenbacher (SUI)	1
						54	Kurt Maflin	6
						118	Jimmy White	2
	11	Ali Carter (ENG)	2
	118	Jimmy White (ENG)	6
																22	Joe Perry	6
																6	Mark Allen	4
	38	Mark Davis (ENG)	5
	91	Xu Si (CHN)	6
						91	Xu Si	2
						102	Peter Lines	6
	27	Zhou Yuelong (CHN)	5
	102	Peter Lines (ENG)	6
											102	Peter Lines	4
											6	Mark Allen	6
	59	Oliver Lines (ENG)	6
	70	Mei Xiwen (CHN)	3
						59	Oliver Lines	4
						6	Mark Allen	6
	6	Mark Allen (NIR)	6
	123	Lukas Kleckers (GER)	2

	Last 128 Best of 11 frames					Last 64 Best of 11 frames					Last 32 Best of 11 frames					Last 16 Best of 11 frames
	7	Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG)	6
	A	Jackson Page (WAL)	3
						7	Ronnie O'Sullivan	6
						71	Michael Georgiou	1
	58	Alfie Burden (ENG)	5
	71	Michael Georgiou (CYP)	6
											7	Ronnie O'Sullivan	6
											26	Michael White	1
	26	Michael White (WAL)	6
	103	Ross Muir (SCO)	5
						26	Michael White	6
						39	Matthew Selt	1
	39	Matthew Selt (ENG)	6
	90	Ian Burns (ENG)	2
																7	Ronnie O'Sullivan	6
																87	Sunny Akani	5
	10	Barry Hawkins (ENG)	6
	119	Kurt Dunham (AUS)	1
						10	Barry Hawkins	6
						74	Hammad Miah	2
	55	Matthew Stevens (WAL)	3
	74	Hammad Miah (ENG)	6
											10	Barry Hawkins	0
											87	Sunny Akani	6
	23	Michael Holt (ENG)	6
	106	Niu Zhuang (CHN)	5
						23	Michael Holt	4
						87	Sunny Akani	6
	42	Fergal O'Brien (IRL)	5
	87	Sunny Akani (THA)	6

	Last 128 Best of 11 frames					Last 64 Best of 11 frames					Last 32 Best of 11 frames					Last 16 Best of 11 frames
	47	Robbie Williams (ENG)	6
	82	Martin O'Donnell (ENG)	3
						47	Robbie Williams	2
						18	Martin Gould	6
	18	Martin Gould (ENG)	6
	111	Joe Swail (NIR)	3
											18	Martin Gould	6
											50	Hossein Vafaei	4
	50	Hossein Vafaei (IRN)	6
	79	James Wattana (THA)	4
						50	Hossein Vafaei	6
						15	Anthony McGill	5
	15	Anthony McGill (SCO)	6
	114	Ashley Hugill (ENG)	2
																18	Martin Gould	6
																34	Xiao Guodong	4
	34	Xiao Guodong (CHN)	6
	95	Chen Zifan (CHN)	0
						34	Xiao Guodong	6
						31	Tom Ford	1
	31	Tom Ford (ENG)	6
	98	Eden Sharav (SCO)	1
											34	Xiao Guodong	6
											63	Noppon Saengkham	3
	63	Noppon Saengkham (THA)	6
	66	Zhang Anda (CHN)	2
						63	Noppon Saengkham	6
						127	Leo Fernandez	0
	2	Ding Junhui (CHN)	5
	127	Leo Fernandez (IRL)	6

	Quarter-finals Best of 11 frames					Semi-finals Best of 11 frames					Final Best of 19 frames
	17	Ryan Day	6
	41	Mark Joyce	5
						17	Ryan Day	3
						5	Shaun Murphy	6
	5	Shaun Murphy	6
	20	Mark King	1
											5	Shaun Murphy	5
											7	Ronnie O'Sullivan	10
	19	Stephen Maguire	6
	22	Joe Perry	3
						19	Stephen Maguire	4
						7	Ronnie O'Sullivan	6
	7	Ronnie O'Sullivan	6
	18	Martin Gould	3

Final: Best of 19 frames. Referee: Paul Collier. Barbican Centre, York, England, 10 December 2017.[1]
Shaun Murphy (5)  England	5–10	Ronnie O'Sullivan (7)  England
Afternoon: 124–0 (123), 39–83 (62), 9–108 (103), 76–62 (O'Sullivan 62), 18–72, 48–57, 70–27 (69), 60–57 (52, 52) Evening: 1–75 (75), 84–32 (80), 0–104 (104), 0–84 (76), 18–103 (103), 49–86 (86), 0–108 (59)
123	Highest break	104
1	Century breaks	3
4	50+ breaks	10

A total of 99 breaks were made at the event, the highest of which – a 142 – was made by Michael White in the second round.^[7]

The event was sponsored by betting company Betway, sponsors of the UK Championship since 2015.^[36] The tournament's broadcasters were dependent on country, with the BBC and Eurosport televising across the United Kingdom and Europe respectively. The event was broadcast in China by Superstars Online, and China Central Television. In Hong Kong, NowTV simulcasted the event with additional commentary.^[41]