Shaun Murphy Hits Historic 147 Break, Wins Masters Snooker Final

LONDON, England — Shaun Murphy made history on Saturday by compiling only the sixth maximum 147 break in the Masters snooker tournament, propelling him to a thrilling 10-7 victory over Kyren Wilson in Sunday’s final at Alexandra Palace.

Murphy, nicknamed ‘the Magician,’ achieved the rare feat during his 6-3 semi-final win over Mark Allen. The 42-year-old Englishman then carried his momentum into the final, where he overcame a late fightback from Wilson, the reigning world champion, to claim his second Masters title.

“I can’t believe it. It was an incredible moment, one of the best of my snooker career,” Murphy told BBC Sport after his semi-final victory. “I have wanted to make a 147 in one of the BBC events since I was a child.”

The maximum break, which involves clearing all 15 reds with 15 blacks followed by all the colors, is one of the most difficult achievements in snooker. Murphy’s 147 was the 210th in professional snooker history and earned him a £15,000 prize for the tournament’s highest break.

In the final, Murphy started strong with a break of 94 in the opening frame and built a 6-2 lead by the halfway point. Wilson, however, fought back to trail 8-7 before Murphy regained his composure to secure the victory with a century break in the final frame.

“There was a stage where it was panic stations, so credit to Kyren,” Murphy said after the match. “This is right up there. The win here in ’15 was big to cement my triple crown, but this is big if not bigger.”

Murphy, who won his first Masters title in 2015, credited his resurgence to working with mentor Peter Ebdon. “I’ve teamed up with Peter, and he was very strong, helped me rediscover that self-belief,” he said. “There is still a bit of life in the old dog yet.”

Wilson, who had defeated world number one Judd Trump in the semi-finals, praised Murphy’s performance. “He played fantastically well,” Wilson said. “I gave it everything, but Shaun was just too good.”

The victory marks a significant milestone for Murphy, who now has nine career 147 breaks, placing him among snooker’s elite alongside Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins, and Stephen Hendry.