2016 Northern Ireland Open

Northern Ireland Open

Tournament information
Dates	14–20 November 2016
Venue	Titanic Exhibition Centre
City	Belfast
Country	Northern Ireland
Organisation(s)	WPBSA
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£366,000[1]
Winner's share	£70,000
Highest break	John Higgins (147)
Final
Champion	Mark King
Runner-up	Barry Hawkins
Score	9–8
← First 2017 →

The 2016 Northern Ireland Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 14 and 20 November 2016 at the Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland.^[1] It was the ninth ranking event of the 2016/2017 season.^[2]

This was the inaugural Northern Ireland Open event, being held as part of a new "Home Series" introduced in the 2016/2017 season with the existing Welsh Open and new English Open and Scottish Open tournaments.^[3][4] The winner of the Northern Ireland Open is awarded the Alex Higgins Trophy which is named in honour of Northern Irish two-time World Champion Alex Higgins.^[5]

John Higgins made the 123rd official maximum break in the fifth frame of his last 64 match against Sam Craigie. It was Higgins's eight professional maximum break.^[6]

Mark King won the first ranking title of his career by defeating Barry Hawkins 9–8 in the final.^[7][8]

Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:^[9]

Winner: £70,000 Runner-up: £30,000 Semi-final: £20,000 Quarter-final: £10,000 Last 16: £6,000 Last 32: £3,500 Last 64: £2,500

Highest break: £2,000 Total: £366,000

The "rolling 147 prize" for a maximum break stands at £10,000.

Main draw

^{[10][11][12][13]}

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
	Judd Trump	w/d
	Peter Ebdon	w/o
					Peter Ebdon	4
					Adam Duffy	3
	Michael Wild	2
	Adam Duffy	4
									Peter Ebdon	2
									Scott Donaldson	4
	Kurt Dunham	4
	Christopher Keogan	2
					Kurt Dunham	3
					Scott Donaldson	4
	Robert Milkins	1
	Scott Donaldson	4
													Scott Donaldson	2
													Hossein Vafaei Ayouri	4
	Stephen Maguire	3
	Alan McManus	4
					Alan McManus	0
					Sanderson Lam	4
	Wang Yuchen	1
	Sanderson Lam	4
									Sanderson Lam	1
									Hossein Vafaei Ayouri	4
	Zak Surety	4
	Darryl Hill	3
					Zak Surety	2
					Hossein Vafaei Ayouri	4
	Hossein Vafaei Ayouri	4
	Rod Lawler	3

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
	Zhang Yong	2
	Kurt Maflin	4
					Kurt Maflin	4
					Alex Borg	1
	Alex Borg	4
	Dechawat Poomjaeng	2
									Kurt Maflin	4
									Josh Boileau	1
	Mike Dunn	3
	Josh Boileau	4
					Josh Boileau	4
					Hamza Akbar	2
	Ali Carter	w/d
	Hamza Akbar	w/o
													Kurt Maflin	2
													Mark King	4
	Fergal O'Brien	4
	Tian Pengfei	2
					Fergal O'Brien	4
					Mitchell Mann	0
	Thor Chuan Leong	1
	Mitchell Mann	4
									Fergal O'Brien	0
									Mark King	4
	Mark King	4
	Igor Figueiredo	1
					Mark King	4
					Liang Wenbo	2
	Liang Wenbo	4
	Nigel Bond	1

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
	Ronnie O'Sullivan	4
	David John	1
					Ronnie O'Sullivan	4
					Jimmy White	1
	Gareth Allen	2
	Jimmy White	4
									Ronnie O'Sullivan	4
									Zhang Anda	0
	Zhang Anda	4
	Ian Preece	0
					Zhang Anda	4
					Chris Wakelin	3
	Chris Wakelin	4
	James Wattana	1
													Ronnie O'Sullivan	3
													Kyren Wilson	4
	Kyren Wilson	4
	Hammad Miah	2
					Kyren Wilson	4
					Jordan Brown	2
	Jordan Brown	4
	Ben Woollaston	2
									Kyren Wilson	4
									Akani Songsermsawad	2
	Cao Yupeng	1
	Akani Songsermsawad	4
					Akani Songsermsawad	4
					Mark Davis	3
	Mark Davis	4
	Jason Weston	0

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
	Matthew Selt	2
	Jamie Curtis-Barrett	4
					Jamie Curtis-Barrett	1
					David Gilbert	4
	Zhao Xintong	1
	David Gilbert	4
									David Gilbert	2
									Mark Williams	4
	Craig Steadman	4
	Alfie Burden	1
					Craig Steadman	0
					Mark Williams	4
	Mark Williams	4
	David Grace	2
													Mark Williams	4
													John Higgins	1
	Zhou Yuelong	4
	Matthew Stevens	3
					Zhou Yuelong	4
					Allan Taylor	0
	Allan Taylor	4
	Li Hang	2
									Zhou Yuelong	0
									John Higgins	4
	Sam Craigie	4
	Jamie Jones	0
					Sam Craigie	1
					John Higgins	4
	John Higgins	4
	Paul Davison	0

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
	Shaun Murphy	0
	Luca Brecel	4
					Luca Brecel	4
					Jamie Cope	2
	Adam Stefanow	2
	Jamie Cope	4
									Luca Brecel	1
									Michael White	4
	Graeme Dott	0
	Michael White	4
					Michael White	4
					Chen Zhe	3
	Chen Zhe	4
	Ross Muir	1
													Michael White	4
													Dominic Dale	2
	Ricky Walden	4
	Sean O'Sullivan	2
					Ricky Walden	4
					Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn	3
	Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn	4
	Rory McLeod	2
									Ricky Walden	2
									Dominic Dale	4
	Tom Ford	4
	Ian Burns	2
					Tom Ford	0
					Dominic Dale	4
	Dominic Dale	4
	Joe Swail	2

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
	Mei Xiwen	1
	Duane Jones	4
					Duane Jones	0
					Fraser Patrick	4
	Fraser Patrick	4
	Marc Davis	1
									Fraser Patrick	0
									Barry Hawkins	4
	Stuart Carrington	3
	Michael Holt	4
					Michael Holt	1
					Barry Hawkins	4
	Barry Hawkins	4
	Martin O'Donnell	0
													Barry Hawkins	4
													Jack Lisowski	0
	Jack Lisowski	4
	David Lilley	3
					Jack Lisowski	4
					John Astley	1
	John Astley	4
	Xiao Guodong	3
									Jack Lisowski	4
									Joe Perry	3
	Elliot Slessor	2
	Jimmy Robertson	4
					Jimmy Robertson	3
					Joe Perry	4
	Joe Perry	4
	Itaro Santos	0

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
	Mark Allen	4
	Mark Joyce	1
					Mark Allen	4
					Michael Georgiou	2
	Michael Georgiou	4
	Patrick Wallace	2
									Mark Allen	4
									Robin Hull	1
	Robin Hull	4
	James Cahill	2
					Robin Hull	4
					Lee Walker	2
	Lee Walker	4
	Rhys Clark	2
													Mark Allen	4
													Gary Wilson	3
	Marco Fu	4
	Ryan Day	3
					Marco Fu	3
					Sam Baird	4
	Noppon Saengkham	3
	Sam Baird	4
									Sam Baird	3
									Gary Wilson	4
	Andrew Higginson	4
	Daniel Wells	1
					Andrew Higginson	3
					Gary Wilson	4
	Gary Wilson	4
	Peter Lines	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
	Ashley Hugill	0
	Ken Doherty	4
					Ken Doherty	3
					Anthony Hamilton	4
	Anthony Hamilton	4
	Boonyarit Keattikun	2
									Anthony Hamilton	4
									Anthony McGill	2
	Aditya Mehta	4
	Sydney Wilson	2
					Aditya Mehta	3
					Anthony McGill	4
	Anthony McGill	4
	Fang Xiongman	2
													Anthony Hamilton	4
													Yan Bingtao	3
	Eden Sharav	4
	Oliver Lines	1
					Eden Sharav	0
					Yan Bingtao	4
	Steven Hallworth	1
	Yan Bingtao	4
									Yan Bingtao	4
									Robbie Williams	3
	Robbie Williams	4
	Thepchaiya Un-Nooh	2
					Robbie Williams	4
					Yu Delu	1
	Ding Junhui	2
	Yu Delu	4

Finals

	Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames				Semi-finals Best of 11 frames				Final Best of 17 frames
	Hossein Vafaei Ayouri	3
	Mark King	5
					Mark King	6
					Kyren Wilson	2
	Kyren Wilson	5
	Mark Williams	4
									Mark King	9
									Barry Hawkins	8
	Michael White	2
	Barry Hawkins	5
					Barry Hawkins	6
					Anthony Hamilton	5
	Mark Allen	2
	Anthony Hamilton	5

Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Terry Camilleri. Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 20 November 2016.[11][12][13]
Mark King  England	9–8	Barry Hawkins  England
Afternoon: 1–85 (85), 6–118 (113), 126–11 (110), 49–80, 1–60, 14–64, 66–18, 90–1 Evening: 95–5 (62), 101–13 (100), 83–1, 76–6 (54), 0–73 (73), 40–82 (76), 65–28, 65–72, 84–33
110	Highest break	113
2	Century breaks	1
4	50+ breaks	4

Representation from different countries

This table shows the number of players by country in the Northern Ireland Open.

	ENG	CHN	WAL	SCO	THA	NIR	IRE	BRA	IRN	NOR	BEL	FIN	AUS	CYP	HKG	IND	MLT	PAK	IOM	MYS	POL	Total
Final	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
SF	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
QF	4	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8
R16	7	1	3	2	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	16
R32	14	3	3	4	1	1	2	0	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	32
R64	30	6	5	6	2	2	3	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	64
R128	60	16	12	11	5	4	3	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	128
Total	60	16	12	11	5	4	3	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	128

Century breaks

^[14]

147, 137, 130, 107 John Higgins 142 Fergal O'Brien 141, 133, 131, 126, 117, 108 Ronnie O'Sullivan 139 Mark Williams 138, 134, 124 Anthony Hamilton 137, 130, 117, 104 Michael White 133 Dominic Dale 131 Chen Zhe 130, 121 Yan Bingtao 126, 117, 113 Barry Hawkins 126 Kurt Dunham 125, 108 Rhys Clark 125 Alfie Burden 125 James Cahill 121 David Gilbert 120 Peter Ebdon 119, 112, 101 Kurt Maflin 119 Hossein Vafaei Ayouri 118 Marco Fu 118 Alan McManus

117 Luca Brecel 116, 109 Ricky Walden 113, 109, 100 Kyren Wilson 112 Michael Georgiou 110, 100 Mark King 110 Anthony McGill 110 Tom Ford 109 Mark Allen 106 Scott Donaldson 106 Sam Baird 104 Sam Craigie 104 Yu Delu 103 Jamie Curtis-Barrett 102 Jordan Brown 102 Ken Doherty 102 Liang Wenbo 101 Robbie Williams 102 Stephen Maguire 100 Jack Lisowski 100 Eden Sharav

References

1. "Coral Nothern Ireland Open 2016". World Snooker. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
2. "Calendar 2016/2017". Snooker.org. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
3. "World Championship: Snooker tour to be revamped in 2016". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
4. "Hearn Announces New Five Year Plan". World Snooker. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
5. "Alex Higgins: NI trophy named after two-time world champion". BBC Sport. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
6. "Higgins Makes 147 in Belfast". World Snooker. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
7. "Northern Ireland Open: Mark King ends 25-year wait for ranking title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
8. "King Crowned in Belfast". World Snooker. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
9. "Indicative prize money rankings schedule 2016/2017 season" (PDF). World Snooker. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
10. "Northern Ireland Open Draw" (PDF). World Snooker. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
11. "Northern Ireland Open Format" (PDF). World Snooker. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
12. "Coral Northern Ireland Open Results". Snooker.org. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
13. "Northern Ireland Open Matches". World Snooker. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
14. "Nothern Ireland Open Centuries". World Snooker. Retrieved 21 November 2016.