NEWS
Event Report -
The Regal Welsh has existed as a ranking event since 1992. Previously it was known as the "Senator Welsh Championship" and Doug Mountjoy won that title five times. But in the new era, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Mark J Williams have the most wins with two each.
The qualifying rounds (1st and 2nd rounds) were played at the Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool.
Now, from the 24th to 30th of January, the Regal Welsh will be competed at the Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales, for the first prize of 62,000 (GBP).
The snooker major ranking tournament is now back to Wales. It is also the first major single event of the millennium. So, don't miss it!!
- 24/Jan -


DIARY
Sunday : Final (30/Jan) *Highlight*
John Higgins made a stunning late rally to overcome Stephen Lee and claim the title and GBP 62,000 winners cheque.
Resuming at 4-4 after the first session, Lee looked to be closing in on victory afer earning an 8-6 advantage. But Higgins fired some breaks to win the remaining frames.
With the early exit of Stephen Hendry and Mark J Williams, Higgins' win means he is now back to contention with this year's No.1 spot.
Saturday : Semi Finals (29/Jan) *Highlight*
Stephen Lee produced a fine finish to book his place in the final with a thrilling victory over Jimmy White. It will be his second successive ranking event final since China International.
John Higgins reached the 33rd final of his professional career after shaking of a determined Peter Ebdon.
Friday : Quarter Finals (28/Jan) *Highlight*
Jimmy White surged into the semi-finals with a 5-1 win over Ian McCulloch.
It will be White's first appearance in the last four of a ranking event since he lost to Dominic Dale in the 1997 Grand Prix 27 months ago.
The three-and-a-half weeks old contact lenses helped Peter Ebdon reaching the last four.
They'll be joined with world number one John Higgins and Stephen Lee.
Thursday : Fifth Rounds (27/Jan) *Highlight*
Jimmy White defeated Ronnie O'Sullivan for the first time in a world ranking tournament to clinch a quarter-final place.
Matthew Stevens also advanced to the quarter-finals with a 5-4 victory over defending champion Mark J Williams. He had a break of 98 in the decisive frame.
They were joined by Fergal O'Brien, who enjoyed a 5-0 whitewash over James Wattana.
Bradley Jones beat Drew Henry 5-0 and Ian McCulloch defeated Marco Fu 5-2, both players reaching their first ranking tournament quarter-finals.
Wendesday : Fourth Rounds (26/Jan) *Highlight*
Stephen Lee had another early start in his match but was able to find a comfortable win over Graeme Dott.
Matthew Stevens fired back-to-back clearances of 132 and 136 to recover from 2-0 down and beat Dominic Dale 5-3. He will renew a friendly rivalry in the fifth round with Mark J Williams since their last battle in last November's UK Championship final.
Hong Kong's Macro Fu and world No.1 John Higgins all had an easy win today.
Steve Davis had led 4-0 but 19-year-old Welshman Ryan Day won five frames in a row to pull a victory.
Tuesday : Third Rounds (25/Jan) *Highlight*
There are two upsets in today's matches.
Jason Ferguson, named WPBSA vice-chairman nine days ago, recorded his first win in six matches by beating Stephen Hendry 5-3. He dedicated the success to his two-month old son Elliott.
The world champion said, "That's blown my chances of being number."
In the other match, John Parrott was brought back down to earth just two days after leading England to the Nations Cup title as he failed at the first hurdle.
Parrott made breakds of 137 and 124 against Drew Henry but it was not enough to prevent a 5-3 defeat.
Monday : Third Rounds (24/Jan) *Highlight*
Ronnie O'Sullivan continued the superb form he showed in the Nations Cup with a 48-minute 5-0 whitewash of Paul Wykes.
O'Sullivan was instoppable as he played both right and left-handed and scored 329 points before Wykes potted a ball.
His top break was 141 and said, "I love playing left-handed and it makes me more confident to know I can utilise it when I want to."
Jimmy White and Mark J Williams were other early finishers, they wrapped up their 5-0 win by just 75 and 56 minutes respectively.


Results
(If you would like to see any individual reports, please touch the score line. Or try see the
whole reports)
Final
( best of 17 frames )
Stephen Lee (Eng) 8-9 John Higgins (Sco)

Semi Finals
( best of 11 frames )
Stephen Lee (Eng) 6-5 Jimmy White (Eng)
John Higgins (Sco) 6-4 Peter Ebdon (Eng)

Quarter Finals
( best of 9 frames )
Matthew Stevens (Wal) 2-5 Stephen Lee (Eng)
Ian McCulloch (Eng) 1-5 Jimmy White (Eng)
John Higgins (Sco) 5-1 Bradley Jones (Eng)
Peter Ebdon (Eng) 5-2 Fergal O'Brien (Ire)

Fifth Rounds
( best of 9 frames )
Mark J Williams (Wal) 4-5 Matthew Stevens (Wal)
Paul Hunter (Eng) 4-5 Stephen Lee (Eng)
Ian McCulloch (Eng) 5-2 Marco Fu (HK)
Jimmy White (Eng) 5-2 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng)
John Higgins (Sco) 5-1 Ryan Day (Wal)
Bradley Jones (Eng) 5-0 Drew Henry (Sco)
Ken Doherty (Ire) 4-5 Peter Ebdon (Eng)
Fergal O'Brien (Ire) 5-0 James Wattana (Thai)

Fourth Rounds
( best of 9 frames )
Mark J Williams (Wal) 5-1 Joe Swail (NI)
Matthew Stevens (Wal) 5-3 Dominic Dale (Wal)
Paul Hunter (Eng) 5-3 Martin Dziewialtowski (Sco)
Stephen Lee (Eng) 5-2 Graeme Dott (Sco)
Ian McCulloch (Eng) 5-2 Mark Fenton (Wal)
Marco Fu (HK) 5-0 Leigh Griffin (Eng)
Jimmy White (Eng) 5-2 Andy Hicks (Eng)
Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 5-3 Stuart Pettman (Eng)
John Higgins (Sco) 5-0 Stuart Bingham (Eng)
Steve Davis (Eng) 4-5 Ryan Day (Wal)
Jimmy Michie (Eng) 2-5 Bradley Jones (Eng)
Drew Henry (Sco) 5-2 David Roe (Eng)
Ken Doherty (Ire) 5-3 Tony Drago (Mal)
Peter Ebdon (Eng) 5-3 Brian Morgan (Eng)
Fergal O'Brien (Ire) 5-4 Dave Harold (Eng)
James Wattana (Thai) 5-2 Jason Ferguson (Eng)

Third Rounds
( best of 9 frames )
Mark J Williams (Wal) 5-0 Alfie Burden (Eng)
Joe Swail (NI) 5-3 Nick Dyson (Eng)
Matthew Stevens (Wal) 5-1 Joe Perry (Eng)
Dominic Dale (Wal) 5-3 Troy Shaw (Eng)
Paul Hunter (Eng) 5-2 Shokat Ali (Pak)
Darren Morgan (Wal) 1-5 Martin Dziewialtowski (Sco)
Stephen Lee (Eng) 5-4 David Gray (Eng)
Graeme Dott (Sco) 5-2 Mick Price (Eng)
Alan McManus (Sco) 4-5 Ian McCulloch (Eng)
Quinten Hann (Aus) w/o-5 Mark Fenton (Wal)
Mark King (Eng) 3-5 Marco Fu (HK)
Billy Snaddon (Sco) 0-5 Leigh Griffin (Eng)
Jimmy White (Eng) 5-0 Gary Ponting (Eng)
Andy Hicks (Eng) 5-2 Rod Lawler (Eng)
Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 5-0 Paul Wykes (Eng)
Gary Wilkinson (Eng) 1-5 Stuart Pettman (Eng)
John Higgins (Sco) 5-3 Anthony Davies (Wal)
Nigel Bond (Eng) 1-5 Stuart Bingham (Eng)
Steve Davis (Eng) 5-4 Joe Johnson (Eng)
Terry Murphy (NI) 2-5 Ryan Day (Wal)
Anthony Hamilton (Eng) 4-5 Jimmy Michie (Eng)
Jamie Burnett (Sco) 1-5 Bradley Jones (Eng)
John Parrott (Eng) 3-5 Drew Henry (Sco)
Chris Small (Sco) 3-5 David Roe (Eng)
Ken Doherty (Ire) 5-1 Craig MacGillivray (Eng)
Tony Drago (Mal) 5-1 Noppadon Noppachorn (Thai)
Peter Ebdon (Eng) 5-1 Jonathan Birch (Eng)
Brian Morgan (Eng) 5-3 Darren Clarke (Eng)
Fergal O'Brien (Ire) 5-2 Peter Lines (Eng)
Dave Harold (Eng) 5-1 Nick Terry (Eng)
Stephen Hendry (Sco) 3-5 Jason Ferguson (Eng)
James Wattana (Thai) 5-0 Mike Dunn (Eng)

Second Rounds
( best of 9 frames )
Alfie Burden (Eng) 5-1 Paul Sweeny (Eng)
Marcus Campbell (Sco) 4-5 Nick Dyson (Eng)
Joe Perry (Eng) 5-2 Stephen O'Connor (Ire)
Dean Reynolds (Eng) 1-5 Troy Shaw (Eng)
Steve James (Eng) 4-5 Shokat Ali (Pak)
Alain Robidoux (Can) w/o-5 Martin Dziewialtowski (Sco)
David Gray (Eng) 5-2 Tony Chappel (Wal)
Mick Price (Eng) 5-3 Phaitoon Phonbun (Thai)
Ian McCulloch (Eng) 5-2 Wayne Jones (Wal)
Paul Davies (Wal) 4-5 Mark Fenton (Wal)
Marco Fu (HK) 5-0 Karl Burrows (Eng)
Matthew Couch (Eng) 3-5 Leigh Griffin (Eng)
Gary Ponting (Eng) 5-2 Mark Selby (Eng)
Rod Lawler (Eng) 5-3 Stefan Mazrocis (Eng)
Paul Wykes (Eng) 5-2 Steve Judd (Eng)
Neal Foulds (Eng) 3-5 Stuart Pettman (Eng)
Nick Walker (Eng) 4-5 Anthony Davies (Wal)
John Read (Eng) 3-5 Stuart Bingham (Eng)
Joe Johnson (Eng) 5-4 Barry Pinches (Eng)
Jason Prince (NI) 3-5 Ryan Day (Wal)
Jimmy Michie (Eng) 5-2 Robert Milkins (Eng)
Bradley Jones (Eng) 5-2 Lee Richardson (Eng)
Drew Henry (Sco) 5-4 Stephen Maguire (Sco)
David Roe (Eng) 5-3 Mark Gray (Eng)
Lee Walker (Wal) 4-5 Craig MacGillivray (Eng)
Dave Finbow (Eng) 4-5 Noppadon Noppachorn (Thai)
Jonathan Birch (Eng) 5-1 Patrick Wallace (NI)
Martin Clark (Eng) 2-5 Darren Clarke (Eng)
Peter Lines (Eng) 5-4 John Lardner (Sco)
Euan Henderson (Sco) 2-5 Nick Terry (Eng)
Jason Ferguson (Eng) 5-2 Wayne Brown (Eng)
Gerard Greene (NI) 1-5 Mike Dunn (Eng)

First Rounds
( best of 9 frames )
Tony Knowles (Eng) 3-5 Paul Sweeny (Eng)
Karl Broughton (Eng) 0-5 Nick Dyson (Eng)
Stephen O'Connor (Ire) 5-4 Mehmet Husnu (Cyp)
Troy Shaw (Eng) 5-1 Wayne Saidler (Eng)
Shokat Ali (Pak) 5-4 Hugh Abernethy (Sco)
Martin Dziewialtowski (Sco) 5-2 Craig Harrison (Eng)
Tony Chappel (Wal) 5-2 Gareth Chilcott (Wal)
Phaitoon Phonbun (Thai) 5-3 Robin Hull (Fin)
Tony Jones (Eng) 4-5 Wayne Jones (Wal)
Michael Judge (Ire) 4-5 Mark Fenton (Wal)
Karl Burrows (Eng) 5-2 Ian Brumby (Eng)
Leigh Griffin (Eng) 5-1 Mario Geudens (Bel)
Dene O'Kane (NZ) 2-5 Mark Selby (Eng)
Stefan Mazrocis (Eng) 5-2 Munraj Pal (Eng)
Steve Judd (Eng) 5-2 Patrick Delsemme (Bel)
Stuart Pettman (Eng) 5-0 Peter McCullagh (Eng)
Anthony Davies (Wal) 5-3 Eddie Manning (Eng)
Stuart Bingham (Eng) 5-2 James Reynolds (Wal)
Leo Fernandez (Ire) 3-5 Barry Pinches (Eng)
Mark Bennett (Wal) 4-5 Ryan Day (Wal)
Chris Scanlon (Eng) 1-5 Robert Milkins (Eng)
Dennis Taylor (NI) 4-5 Lee Richardson (Eng)
Sean Storey (Eng) 2-5 Stephen Maguire (Sco)
Mark Gray (Eng) 5-4 Richard King (Eng)
Craig MacGillivray (Eng) 5-3 Allister Carter (Eng)
Mark Davis (Eng) 4-5 Noppadon Noppachorn (Thai)
Patrick Wallace (NI) 5-3 David McLellan (Eng)
Michael Holt (Eng) 2-5 Darren Clarke (Eng)
John Lardner (Sco) 5-1 Kristjan Helgason (Ice)
Willie Thorne (Eng) 3-5 Nick Terry (Eng)
Wayne Brown (Eng) 5-2 Adrian Gunnell (Eng)
Nick Pearce (Eng) 1-5 Mike Dunn (Eng)

5th-round
(best of 9 frames)


Quarter-Finals
(best of 9 frames)


Semi-Finals
(best of 11 frames)


Final
(best of 17 frames)


M Williams
M Stevens
4
5



M Stevens
S Lee
2
5
P Hunter
S Lee
4
5






S Lee
J White
6
5
I McCulloch
M Fu
5
2



I McCulloch
J White
1
5
J White
R O'Sullivan
5
2









S Lee
J Higgins
8
9
J Higgins
R Day
5
1



J Higgins
B Jones
5
1
B Jones
D Henry
5
0






J Higgins
P Ebdon
6
4
K Doherty
P Ebdon
4
5



P Ebdon
F O'Brien
5
2
F O'Brien
J Wattana
5
0


CENTURIES (final rounds - Cardiff)
141Ronnie O'Sullivan
136Macro Fu
Mark J Williams
Matthew Stevens
132John Higgins
Matthew Stevens
131Mark J Williams
Anthony Davies
Paul Hunter
Stephen Lee
129Stephen Lee
127Steve Davis
Peter Ebdon
125Ian McCulloch
123Peter Ebdon
115Jimmy White
112Mick Price
111Stephen Hendry
105John Higgins
104John Higgins
102Ian McCulloch
101Stephen Lee
John Higgins
100Anthony Davies
Macro Fu
Matthew Stevens
John Higgins

CENTURIES (qualifying rounds - Blackpool)
147Barry Pinches
132Barry Pinches
120Joe Johnson


PRIZE

PlacePoints
Winner62,000
Runner-up33,000
Losing semi-finalists16,500
Losing quater-finalists9,400
Last 16 (losing fifth-round)4,800
Last 32 (losing forth-round)2,775
Last 64 (losing third-round)2,400
Last 96 (losing second-round)1,350
Last 128 (losing first-round)800
1 English pound = 1.65 American Dollars
Highest break5,000
147 Maximum breakVauxhall Vectra saloon car worth 20,000 pounds


POINT

PlacePoints
Winner4,560
Runner-up3,040
Losing semi-finalists2,025
Losing quater-finalists1,520
Last 16 (losing fifth-round)1,140
Last 32 (losing forth-round)855
(Seeds 1-32)480
Last 64 (losing third-round)640
(Seeds 33-64)360
Last 96 (losing second-round)480


FORMER WINNERS

YearWinnerScoreRunner-up
99/00John Higgins (Sco)9-8Stephen Lee (Eng)
98/99Mark J Williams (Wal)9-8Stephen Hendry (Sco)
97/98Paul Hunter (Eng)9-5John Higgins (Sco)
96/97Stephen Hendry (Sco)9-2Mark King (Eng)
95/96Mark J Williams (Wal)9-3John Parrott (Eng)
94/95Steve Davis (Eng)9-3John Higgins (Sco)
93/94Steve Davis (Eng)9-6Alan McManus (Sco)
92/93Ken Doherty (Ire)9-7Alan McManus (Sco)
91/92Stephen Hendry (Sco)9-2Darren Morgan (Wal)


 

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