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

References

1. "Ronnie O'Sullivan wins at Welsh Open but John Higgins is out". BBC Sport. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
2. "Ronnie O'Sullivan criticised after turning down 'too cheap' 147 at Welsh Open". BBC Sport. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
3. "Ding Junhui goes where Rocket refused to go as he sweeps to brilliant 147". RTÉ Sport. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
4. "Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Neil Robertson to win a fourth Welsh Open title". BBC Sport. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
5. "Rocket Romps to Welsh Title". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
6. "BetVictor Sponsor Snooker's Welsh Open". World Snooker. January 5, 2016. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020.
7. "Welsh Open: centuries". worldsnookerdata.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived from the original on 2016-02-18. Retrieved 19 February 2016.