2016 Welsh Open (snooker)

"2016 Welsh Open" redirects here. For the darts tournament, see Welsh Open (darts).

The 2016 Welsh Open (officially the 2016 BetVictor Welsh Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament held at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff from 15 to 21 February 2016. It was the sixth ranking event of the 2015/2016 season.

2016 BetVictor Welsh Open

Tournament information
Dates	15–21 February 2016 (2016-02-15 – 2016-02-21)
Venue	Motorpoint Arena
City	Cardiff
Country	Wales
Organisation	World Snooker
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£324,000
Winner's share	£60,000
Highest break	Ding Junhui (CHN) (147)
Final
Champion	Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG)
Runner-up	Neil Robertson (AUS)
Score	9–5
← 2015 2017 →

The defending champion John Higgins lost 1–4 against Michael White in the last 16.^[1]

Playing Barry Pinches in the first round, Ronnie O'Sullivan declined the opportunity to make a maximum break, describing the £10,000 prize money on offer as "too cheap". He potted the pink off the penultimate red and made a 146. World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn called O'Sullivan's actions "unacceptable" and "disrespectful".^[2]

Ding Junhui made the 117th official maximum break in the sixth frame of his quarter-final against Neil Robertson. It was Ding's sixth maximum break in professional competition.^[3]

O'Sullivan met Robertson in the final. From 2–5 behind, O'Sullivan won seven frames in a row, finishing with a break of 141 in the 14th frame, to defeat Robertson 9–5 and equal John Higgins's record of four Welsh Open titles.^[4] It was O'Sullivan's 28th ranking title, which put him in joint second place with Higgins and Steve Davis for the number of career ranking titles.^[5]

Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money is shown below:

Winner: £60,000 Runner-up: £30,000 Semi-finals: £20,000 Quarter-finals: £10,000 Last 16: £5,000 Last 32: £3,000 Last 64: £2,000

Highest break: £2,000 Total: £324,000

The "rolling 147 prize" for a maximum break was £10,000 (2nd ranking event since it was last won, £5,000 added for each ranking event)

Main draw

128 players started the tournament with 12 tables in the arena in the early stages.^[6]

Top half

Section 1

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	John Higgins	4
	Andy Hicks	0
					John Higgins	4
					Sam Baird	0
	Sam Baird	4
	Thor Chuan Leong	2
									John Higgins	4
									Michael Georgiou	1
	Peter Ebdon	4
	Zhang Anda	0
					Peter Ebdon	2
					Michael Georgiou	4
	Jamie Jones	0
	Michael Georgiou	4
													John Higgins	1
													Michael White	4
	Liang Wenbo	4
	Hatem Yassen	0
					Liang Wenbo	4
					Gary Wilson	1
	Gary Wilson	4
	Jimmy White	1
									Liang Wenbo	1
									Michael White	4
	Michael White	4
	Joe O'Connor	2
					Michael White	4
					Tom Ford	3
	Tom Ford	4
	Jason Weston	1

Section 2

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Mike Dunn	4
	Chris Wakelin	3
					Mike Dunn	3
					Ryan Day	4
	Ryan Day	4
	Vinnie Calabrese	0
									Ryan Day	1
									Mark Allen	4
	Robin Hull	4
	Hossein Vafaei	2
					Robin Hull	3
					Mark Allen	4
	Mark Allen	4
	Sam Craigie	0
													Mark Allen	4
													Barry Hawkins	3
	Xiao Guodong	1
	James Cahill	4
					James Cahill	1
					Mark Davis	4
	Mark Davis	4
	Zhao Xintong	2
									Mark Davis	2
									Barry Hawkins	4
	Robbie Williams	4
	Luke Simmonds	3
					Robbie Williams	3
					Barry Hawkins	4
	Barry Hawkins	4
	Lee Walker	2

Section 3

	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 Murphy	4
	Itaro Santos	1
					Shaun Murphy	4
					Mitchell Mann	3
	Zhou Yuelong	2
	Mitchell Mann	4
									Shaun Murphy	2
									Luca Brecel	4
	Luca Brecel	4
	Ian Burns	3
					Luca Brecel	4
					Mark King	3
	Mark King	4
	Scott Donaldson	0
													Luca Brecel	2
													Ding Junhui	4
	Ding Junhui	4
	Steven Hallworth	1
					Ding Junhui	4
					Joe Swail	3
	Joe Swail	4
	Zak Surety	1
									Ding Junhui	4
									Matthew Selt	3
	Matthew Selt	4
	Nigel Bond	0
					Matthew Selt	4
					Sydney Wilson	1
	Gerard Greene	3
	Sydney Wilson	4

Section 4

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Jamie Burnett	w/d
	Ross Muir	w/o
					Ross Muir	3
					Graeme Dott	4
	Graeme Dott	4
	Darryl Hill	1
									Graeme Dott	2
									Marco Fu	4
	Andrew Higginson	2
	Daniel Wells	4
					Daniel Wells	1
					Marco Fu	4
	Marco Fu	4
	Joel Walker	0
													Marco Fu	2
													Neil Robertson	4
	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh	4
	Paul Davison	2
					Thepchaiya Un-Nooh	1
					Anthony McGill	4
	Anthony McGill	4
	Liam Highfield	3
									Anthony McGill	2
									Neil Robertson	4
	Stuart Carrington	4
	Jordan Brown	0
					Stuart Carrington	1
					Neil Robertson	4
	Neil Robertson	4
	Fraser Patrick	3

Bottom half

Section 5

	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 Selby	4
	Duane Jones	0
					Mark Selby	4
					Peter Lines	2
	David Grace	2
	Peter Lines	4
									Mark Selby	4
									Fergal O'Brien	2
	Ali Carter	4
	Cao Yupeng	1
					Ali Carter	3
					Fergal O'Brien	4
	Fergal O'Brien	4
	Noppon Saengkham	3
													Mark Selby	4
													Mark Williams	2
	Mark Williams	4
	Lu Chenwei	3
					Mark Williams	4
					Rod Lawler	2
	Rod Lawler	4
	Sanderson Lam	3
									Mark Williams	4
									Kurt Maflin	2
	Kyren Wilson	3
	Leo Fernandez	4
					Leo Fernandez	1
					Kurt Maflin	4
	Kurt Maflin	4
	Hammad Miah	3

Section 6

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Dechawat Poomjaeng	4
	Craig Steadman	1
					Dechawat Poomjaeng	4
					Robert Milkins	1
	Robert Milkins	4
	Sean O'Sullivan	3
									Dechawat Poomjaeng	3
									Yu Delu	4
	Yu Delu	4
	Ian Glover	3
					Yu Delu	4
					Ricky Walden	3
	Ricky Walden	4
	James Wattana	3
													Yu Delu	1
													Ronnie O'Sullivan	4
	Jimmy Robertson	4
	Michael Wild	3
					Jimmy Robertson	4
					Michael Holt	1
	Michael Holt	4
	Hamza Akbar	3
									Jimmy Robertson	0
									Ronnie O'Sullivan	4
	Tian Pengfei	4
	Ashley Hugill	2
					Tian Pengfei	0
					Ronnie O'Sullivan	4
	Ronnie O'Sullivan	4
	Barry Pinches	1

Section 7

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Judd Trump	4
	Michael Leslie	0
					Judd Trump	4
					Rory McLeod	1
	Rory McLeod	4
	Michael Wasley	3
									Judd Trump	4
									Alan McManus	2
	Alan McManus	4
	Rhys Clark	3
					Alan McManus	4
					Mark Joyce	1
	Mark Joyce	4
	Gareth Allen	0
													Judd Trump	3
													Joe Perry	4
	Joe Perry	4
	Tony Drago	0
					Joe Perry	4
					Li Hang	2
	Li Hang	4
	Chris Melling	0
									Joe Perry	4
									Ken Doherty	2
	David Gilbert	4
	Zhang Yong	0
					David Gilbert	3
					Ken Doherty	4
	Ken Doherty	4
	Lu Ning	0

Section 8

	Last 128 Best of 7 frames				Last 64 Best of 7 frames				Last 32 Best of 7 frames				Last 16 Best of 7 frames
	Matthew Stevens	4
	David Morris	2
					Matthew Stevens	4
					Martin O'Donnell	2
	Stephen Maguire	3
	Martin O'Donnell	4
									Matthew Stevens	3
									Martin Gould	4
	Jack Lisowski	4
	Eden Sharav	2
					Jack Lisowski	3
					Martin Gould	4
	Martin Gould	4
	Adam Duffy	1
													Martin Gould	1
													Ben Woollaston	4
	Dominic Dale	3
	Alfie Burden	4
					Alfie Burden	1
					Ben Woollaston	4
	Ben Woollaston	4
	Jamie Cope	0
									Ben Woollaston	4
									Anthony Hamilton	3
	Oliver Lines	1
	Allan Taylor	4
					Allan Taylor	2
					Anthony Hamilton	4
	Stuart Bingham	1
	Anthony Hamilton	4

Finals

	Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames				Semi-finals Best of 11 frames				Final Best of 17 frames
	Michael White	0
	Mark Allen	5
					Mark Allen	4
					Neil Robertson	6
	Ding Junhui	2
	Neil Robertson	5
									Neil Robertson	5
									Ronnie O'Sullivan	9
	Mark Selby	1
	Ronnie O'Sullivan	5
					Ronnie O'Sullivan	6
					Joe Perry	3
	Joe Perry	5
	Ben Woollaston	1

Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Terry Camilleri Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, 21 February 2016.
Neil Robertson  Australia	5–9	Ronnie O'Sullivan  England
Afternoon: 64–5, 78–0 (78), 33–88 (60), 76–1 (76), 12–71 (60), 66–0, 77–1 (77), 20–85 Evening: 39–94 (57), 42–78, 26–74 (67), 21–71 (70), 1–79 (61), 0–141 (141)
78	Highest break	141
0	Century breaks	1
3	50+ breaks	7

Century breaks

^[7]

147, 126, 120 – Ding Junhui 146, 141, 132, 132, 131, 124, 112, 110, 102, 101 – Ronnie O'Sullivan 141, 140, 126, 107 – Neil Robertson 139, 130 – Joe Perry 139 – Peter Ebdon 137, 115, 105, 104, 100 – John Higgins 135, 125, 124, 105 – Mark Allen 135, 108 – Shaun Murphy 134 – Mark Davis 133 – Allan Taylor 133 – Eden Sharav 131 – Matthew Stevens 130 – Martin O'Donnell 128, 115 – Mark Selby 127 – Rod Lawler 126, 112 – Anthony Hamilton 124, 112 – Judd Trump 118, 101 – Michael White 116, 101 – Marco Fu

115 – Jack Lisowski 115 – Tom Ford 114, 105 – Robin Hull 113 – Lee Walker 113 – Robbie Williams 112 – Itaro Santos 111 – Kurt Maflin 110, 109 – Alan McManus 107 – Anthony McGill 107 – Martin Gould 107 – Michael Holt 106, 103 – Liang Wenbo 105 – Dechawat Poomjaeng 105 – Michael Wasley 104 – David Grace 104 – Gary Wilson 103 – David Gilbert 103 – Mike Dunn 102 – Ashley Hugill