Ronnie O’Sullivan responds to Raymond van Barneveld on 147 maximum break v nine-darter v hole-in-one debate

Ronnie O’Sullivan has had his say on the snooker 147 maximum break versus a nine-darter and hole-in-one debate.

In recent years, the debate has grown over which of the sporting feats are the hardest and five-time darts world champion Van Barneveld asked O’Sullivan: “What is harder a 147 break or a perfect nine-dart finish in darts? I think a snooker break.”

The seven-time snooker world champion – opened with “really, really, that is interesting” in response – before venerating the Dutchman’s “silky action”, and thanking him for the great entertainment, before agreeing with Van Barneveld.

“I think a 147 must be harder I think,” he said. “I’m not here to say one is harder, one is not harder.

“What you guys do on a dart board and make it look so easy is unbelievable, so total respect to you guys. You’re one of the heavyweights of darts.

“Just being able to make a nine-darter or a 147 is a great achievement, but I tend to agree with you that a 147 might be slightly harder just because it’s 36 shots, whereas you have got only nine to do, so we have to do four times the amount of work you have to do.”

Asked further about where a hole-in-one would rank in the debate, O’Sullivan added: “The 147 has got to be the hardest thing. A hole-in-one, a little bit of luck involved.

“The 147 might have a little bit of luck involved at some point but 95% or 98% of it would have to be all skill-based. So I would probably have to say the 147 is hardest.”

In 2022, Shaun Murphy claimed he is the only person to have a hole-in-one, a 147 and a nine-darter.

However, the 39-year-old is also a handy darts player as well as a keen golfer, and has a scratch handicap which allows him the chance to take part in Open Championship qualifying rounds.

He attempted to qualify for the Open in 2015, and will also attempt the same at the 150th Open this year.

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