Gary Wilson Compiles 147 Break in UK Championship

Gary Wilson made a 147 break in the first round of the UK Championship at the Barbican Centre in York on Wednesday.

The Englishman’s perfect knock took place in the sixth frame of his opening-round contest with Ian Burns, extending his lead to 5-1 in the best-of-eleven affair.

Wilson, the British Open finalist from earlier in the 2021/22 snooker season, was already looking in good form having contributed runs of 104, 89, 71, and 67 prior to his maximum effort, and soon after he completed a 6-2 triumph to advance to the last 64 of the Triple Crown event.

The 36 year-old now boasts four career maximum breaks in professional snooker, and from this one he is now in line to claim the high break prize of £15,000.

Wilson’s previous 147 breaks came in the qualifying rounds for the 2013 German Masters and the 2017 World Championship, as well as in the WST Pro Series earlier this calendar year.

The UK Championship has become known as being one of the most prolific tournaments when it comes to 147 breaks being made.

Indeed, this represented the 19th 147 in UK Championship history – including old qualifying rounds – with the first having been compiled by the late Willie Thorne all the way back in 1987.

At that time, the break was a much more rare feat with Thorne’s acting as only the fourth ever made in professional play.

These days it is a frequent occurrence and Wilson’s 147 is the 172nd overall, but it still stands as a memorable achievement for any player to make.

The 2021 UK Championship began on Tuesday with the likes of John Higgins, Kyren Wilson, and Stephen Maguire safely negotiating their first matches.

Former champion Shaun Murphy was a notable casualty, however, as he went down 6-5 to Chinese amateur Si Jiahui.

Live coverage of the first round is available on Eurosport. Other options are available around the world with more details on the World Snooker Tour website.