2015 Welsh Open (snooker)

The 2015 Welsh Open (officially the 2015 BetVictor Welsh Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament held at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff from 16 to 22 February 2015. The tournament was staged in Cardiff for the first time since 2004, having moved from Newport.[1]

2015 BetVictor Welsh Open
Tournament information
Dates16–22 February 2015 (2015-02-16 – 2015-02-22)
VenueMotorpoint Arena
CityCardiff
CountryWales
OrganisationWorld Snooker
FormatRanking event
Total prize fund£300,000
Winner's share£60,000
Highest break Luca Brecel (BEL) (140)
Final
Champion John Higgins (SCO)
Runner-up Ben Woollaston (ENG)
Score9–3
2014
2016
Televised table during the quarter-finals

Ronnie O'Sullivan was the defending champion,[2] but he lost 3–4 against Matthew Stevens in the last 32.[3]

The best-performing Welsh player was Mark Williams, who reached the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time in 12 years.[4] He lost 5–6 to Ben Woollaston, who reached the first ranking final of his professional career.[5]

John Higgins defeated Woollaston 9–3 in the final to win the Welsh Open for a record fourth time and claim his first ranking title in two and a half years.[6]

Prize fund

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The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:[7]

Main draw

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128 players started the tournament, with the first four rounds played over the best of 7 frames. The quarter finals were played over 9 frames with the semi-finals over the best of 11. The final was over 17 frames.[8][9]

Top half

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Section 1

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Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Ronnie O'Sullivan4
 
 
 
  Vinnie Calabrese1
 
  Ronnie O'Sullivan4
 
 
 
  Rory McLeod2
 
  Rory McLeod4
 
 
 
  Andrew Pagett2
 
  Ronnie O'Sullivan3
 
 
 
  Matthew Stevens4
 
  Ken Doherty4
 
 
 
  Zhou Yuelong3
 
  Ken Doherty3
 
 
 
  Matthew Stevens4
 
  Matthew Stevens4
 
 
 
  Oliver Lines3
 
  Matthew Stevens2
 
 
 
  Marco Fu4
 
  Michael Holt2
 
 
 
  Ashley Carty4
 
  Ashley Carty4
 
 
 
  Alfie Burden0
 
  Alfie Burden4
 
 
 
  Andrew Norman1
 
  Ashley Carty2
 
 
 
  Marco Fu4
 
  Dechawat Poomjaeng4
 
 
 
  Allan Taylor3
 
  Dechawat Poomjaeng2
 
 
 
  Marco Fu4
 
  Marco Fu4
 
 
  Ian Glover2
 

Section 2

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Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Shaun Murphy4
 
 
 
  Steven Hallworth3
 
  Shaun Murphy3
 
 
 
  Jamie Jones4
 
  Jamie Jones4
 
 
 
  Chris Norbury0
 
  Jamie Jones2
 
 
 
  Mark Williams4
 
  Jimmy White3
 
 
 
  Barry Pinches4
 
  Barry Pinches2
 
 
 
  Mark Williams4
 
  Mark Williams4
 
 
 
  Lyu Haotian0
 
  Mark Williams4
 
 
 
  Judd Trump1
 
  Dominic Dale3
 
 
 
  Michael Wasley4
 
  Michael Wasley4
 
 
 
  Li Hang2
 
  Jack Lisowski3
 
 
 
  Li Hang4
 
  Michael Wasley2
 
 
 
  Judd Trump4
 
  Mark Joyce4
 
 
 
  Joel Walker2
 
  Mark Joyce0
 
 
 
  Judd Trump4
 
  Judd Trump4
 
 
  James Wattana2
 

Section 3

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Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Mark Allen4
 
 
 
  Alexander Ursenbacher1
 
  Mark Allen4
 
 
 
  Cao Yupeng3
 
  Cao Yupeng4
 
 
 
  Craig Steadman2
 
  Mark Allen3
 
 
 
  Ben Woollaston4
 
  Ben Woollaston4
 
 
 
  Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon2
 
  Ben Woollaston4
 
 
 
  Mark Davis1
 
  Mark Davis4
 
 
 
  Lyu Chenwei3
 
  Ben Woollaston4
 
 
 
  Ali Carter2
 
  Xiao Guodong4
 
 
 
  Joe Swail1
 
  Xiao Guodong1
 
 
 
  Matthew Selt4
 
  Matthew Selt4
 
 
 
  Ian Burns1
 
  Matthew Selt3
 
 
 
  Ali Carter4
 
  Mark King4
 
 
 
  Eden Sharav0
 
  Mark King0
 
 
 
  Ali Carter4
 
  Ali Carter4
 
 
  Fraser Patrick1
 

Section 4

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Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Joe Perry4
 
 
 
  Lee Page3
 
  Joe Perry4
 
 
 
  Yu Delu0
 
  Yu Delu w/o
 
 
 
  John Suttonw/d
 
  Joe Perry2
 
 
 
  Gary Wilson4
 
  Gary Wilson4
 
 
 
  Zhang Anda0
 
  Gary Wilson4
 
 
 
  John Astley3
 
  David Gilbert1
 
 
 
  John Astley4
 
  Gary Wilson4
 
 
 
  Neil Robertson2
 
  Anthony McGill4
 
 
 
  David Grace3
 
  Anthony McGill2
 
 
 
  Jamie Cope4
 
  Jamie Cope4
 
 
 
  Elliot Slessor3
 
  Jamie Cope3
 
 
 
  Neil Robertson4
 
  David Morris4
 
 
 
  Joe O'Connor0
 
  David Morris0
 
 
 
  Neil Robertson4
 
  Neil Robertson4
 
 
  James Cahill0
 

Bottom half

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Section 5

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Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Ding Junhui1
 
 
 
  Lee Walker4
 
  Lee Walker2
 
 
 
  Michael Georgiou4
 
  Peter Lines1
 
 
 
  Michael Georgiou4
 
  Michael Georgiou4
 
 
 
  Graeme Dott3
 
  Andrew Higginson2
 
 
 
  Chris Wakelin4
 
  Chris Wakelin1
 
 
 
  Graeme Dott4
 
  Graeme Dott4
 
 
 
  Zak Surety1
 
  Michael Georgiou2
 
 
 
  John Higgins4
 
  Liang Wenbo4
 
 
 
  Cao Xinlong0
 
  Liang Wenbo4
 
 
 
  Gerard Greene0
 
  Gerard Greene4
 
 
 
  Daniel Wells2
 
  Liang Wenbo0
 
 
 
  John Higgins4
 
  Jamie Burnett3
 
 
 
  Alex Borg4
 
  Alex Borg0
 
 
 
  John Higgins4
 
  John Higgins4
 
 
  Michael Leslie1
 

Section 6

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Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Stephen Maguire4
 
 
 
  Duane Jones0
 
  Stephen Maguire4
 
 
 
  Liam Highfield2
 
  Kurt Maflin1
 
 
 
  Liam Highfield4
 
  Stephen Maguire4
 
 
 
  Sam Baird2
 
  Robbie Williams1
 
 
 
  Dave Harold4
 
  Dave Harold0
 
 
 
  Sam Baird4
 
  Fergal O'Brien3
 
 
 
  Sam Baird4
 
  Stephen Maguire4
 
 
 
  Alan McManus0
 
  Alan McManus4
 
 
 
  Jamie Clarke2
 
  Alan McManus4
 
 
 
  Ahmed Saif0
 
  Anthony Hamilton0
 
 
 
  Ahmed Saif4
 
  Alan McManus4
 
 
 
  Aditya Mehta0
 
  Aditya Mehta4
 
 
 
  Sydney Wilson0
 
  Aditya Mehta4
 
 
 
  Barry Hawkins2
 
  Barry Hawkins4
 
 
  Scott Donaldson3
 

Section 7

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Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Stuart Bingham4
 
 
 
  Thor Chuan Leong3
 
  Stuart Bingham4
 
 
 
  Robin Hull2
 
  Kyren Wilson0
 
 
 
  Robin Hull4
 
  Stuart Bingham4
 
 
 
  Michael White1
 
  Nigel Bond3
 
 
 
  Chris Melling4
 
  Chris Melling0
 
 
 
  Michael White4
 
  Michael White4
 
 
 
  Ross Muir1
 
  Stuart Bingham2
 
 
 
  Ricky Walden4
 
  Martin Gould4
 
 
 
  Jak Jones0
 
  Martin Gould4
 
 
 
  Rod Lawler1
 
  Rod Lawler4
 
 
 
  Hammad Miah1
 
  Martin Gould2
 
 
 
  Ricky Walden4
 
  Thepchaiya Un-Nooh4
 
 
 
  Mitchell Mann2
 
  Thepchaiya Un-Nooh1
 
 
 
  Ricky Walden4
 
  Ricky Walden4
 
 
  Lu Ning0
 

Section 8

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Last 128
Best of 7 frames
Last 64
Best of 7 frames
Last 32
Best of 7 frames
Last 16
Best of 7 frames
 
              
 
 
 
 
  Robert Milkins0
 
 
 
  Luca Brecel4
 
  Luca Brecel4
 
 
 
  Tian Pengfei1
 
  Tom Ford2
 
 
 
  Tian Pengfei4
 
  Luca Brecel4
 
 
 
  Oliver Brown0
 
  Mike Dunn3
 
 
 
  Oliver Brown4
 
  Oliver Brown4
 
 
 
  Ryan Day1
 
  Ryan Day4
 
 
 
  Noppon Saengkham1
 
  Luca Brecel4
 
 
 
  Mark Selby3
 
  Peter Ebdon4
 
 
 
  Tony Drago0
 
  Peter Ebdon4
 
 
 
  Jimmy Robertson1
 
  Jimmy Robertson4
 
 
 
  Igor Figueiredo3
 
  Peter Ebdon3
 
 
 
  Mark Selby4
 
  Marcus Campbell4
 
 
 
  Stuart Carrington3
 
  Marcus Campbell2
 
 
 
  Mark Selby4
 
  Mark Selby4
 
 
  Alex Davies0
 

Finals

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Quarter-finals
Best of 9 frames
Semi-finals
Best of 11 frames
Final
Best of 17 frames
 
          
 
 
 
 
  Marco Fu 1
 
 
 
  Mark Williams 5
 
  Mark Williams 5
 
 
 
  Ben Woollaston 6
 
  Ben Woollaston 5
 
 
 
  Gary Wilson 2
 
  Ben Woollaston 3
 
 
 
  John Higgins 9
 
  John Higgins 5
 
 
 
  Stephen Maguire 1
 
  John Higgins 6
 
 
 
  Luca Brecel 4
 
  Ricky Walden 3
 
 
  Luca Brecel 5
 

Final

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Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Marcel Eckardt
Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, 22 February 2015.[10]
Ben Woollaston
  England
3–9 John Higgins
  Scotland
Afternoon: 4–120 (84), 71–51 (58), 17–101 (63), 0–105 (105), 74–23 (54), 0–84 (66), 62–19, 59–72 (Woollaston 59)
Evening: 5–97, 34–69, 9–88 (68), 8–130 (83)
59 Highest break 105
0 Century breaks 1
3 50+ breaks 6

Century breaks

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[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Welsh Open Set For Cardiff". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  2. ^ Hafez, Shamoon (2 March 2014). "Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Ding Junhui in Welsh Open final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Welsh Open: Ronnie O'Sullivan knocked out by Matthew Stevens". BBC Sport. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  4. ^ "Mark Williams breezes through to the Welsh Open semi-finals". WalesOnline. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Welsh Open: Woollaston beats Williams to set up Higgins final". BBC Sport. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  6. ^ "John Higgins beats Ben Woollaston to win Welsh Open". BBC Sport. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Indicative Prize Money Rankings Schedule 2014/2015 season" (PDF). World Snooker. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 12 May 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Welsh Open Draw" (PDF). worldsnooker.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-21.
  9. ^ "16 – 22 February 2015 Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff" (PDF). worldsnooker.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-21.
  10. ^ "BetVictor Welsh Open". Snooker.org. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  11. ^ "Welsh Open: century breaks". worldsnookerdata.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 18 February 2015.