WATCH: Ronnie O’Sullivan snubs 147 bid in Welsh Open win over ‘cheap’ maximum break prize
‘Rocket’ rejects the chance to finish a maximum break in his first round match because he felt the cash prize on offer was not enough
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Ronnie O’Sullivan rejected the chance to finish a 147 maximum break in his Welsh Open first round match on Monday because he felt the £10,000 (HK$112,500) prize on offer was “too cheap”.
I knew it was 10 grand and I just thought that’s a bit too cheap really
O’Sullivan was on course for the maximum milestone in the final frame of his 4-1 win over Barry Pinches at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena after potting 13 reds and blacks.
But just as the five-time world champion looked set for the 14th maximum break of his career, he played a surprise positional shot onto the pink despite having made several audacious shots earlier in the break to return to the black.
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He duly cleared up for a 146 break and left the arena with a smile.
Asked about the incident afterwards, O’Sullivan told BBC Wales: “I could have got on the black and possibly made a 147.
“I knew it was 10 grand and I just thought that’s a bit too cheap really. To make a maxi, it’s such a massive achievement and if they’re going to pay us 10 grand, I think it’s worth a bit more than that.
“Once the prize goes up a bit, I’ll go for the 147. A 146 is just as good!”
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O’Sullivan refused to pot the final black in the final frame of his match at the 2010 World Open in Glasgow when he was told there was no bonus prize.
Once the prize goes up a bit, I’ll go for the 147. A 146 is just as good!
The English star had to be convinced to pot the final ball by referee Jan Verhaas.
The prize for a 147 is calculated on a rollover basis, with £5,000 added to the pot in each tournament.
Australia’s Neil Robertson made the most recent maximum in December’s UK Championship final, winning £44,000 including the £4,000 prize for the tournament high break.
Elsewhere, Hong Kong’s Marco Fu made light work of his first round opponent England’s Joel Walker.
The world number 13 prevailed 4-0 with breaks of 64, 79 and 101.
Fu will face Welshman Daniel Wells in Tuesday’s second round in Cardiff. Fu won his only previous encounter with Wells 5-1 at the Wuxi open in 2013.
