Snooker Shoot Out 2023: Ronnie O’Sullivan v Shaun Murphy – Which magical maximum 147 break was better?

Ronnie O’Sullivan produced the undisputed greatest 147 break of all time at the 1997 World Championship, but does the snooker GOAT finally have a viable challenger 26 years later?

“When you watch it back you think: ‘He’s not going to do it in that time?’ It’s unbelievable.”

Over a quarter of a century on from O’Sullivan’s celebrated knock, his old rival Shaun Murphy lived up to his moniker as ‘The Magician’ by rolling in the first 147 in Shoot Out history, clocked at a rapid seven minutes and 35 seconds.

But 2005 world champion Murphy was also forced to clear the table under the considerable strain of a shot clock that allows only 15 seconds for the first five minutes of the frame, before being reduced to 10 seconds for the second half of the frame.

He potted several tough balls in his astonishing break, including a fiendish third-last red remaining on the table, before slotting the final black with two minutes and 26 seconds remaining of the frame.

While O’Sullivan’s knock was worth a total of £165,000 (including the £18,000 high break prize), £4,583 a shot or £536 a second for the 20th maximum in snooker history, Murphy is in line to earn only £5,000 for the sport’s 194th, such has been the regularity of 147s amid rising standards of the modern era.

Yet nobody has managed to produce a maximum break since the Shoot Out was first staged in its modern guise in 2011 – until now. Like O’Sullivan’s break, it is a feat that is unlikely to be bettered.

Initially wrongly timed at five minutes and 20 seconds, O’Sullivan’s riveting break was officially rounded down and ratified as five minutes and eight seconds by the Guinness Book of Records before 21-year-old Ronnie was officially dubbed ‘The Rocket’ for the fastest 147 of all time.

Trailing 8-5, Price broke off for the 14th frame before O’Sullivan slots a long red after his opponent caught a safety attempt thin.

It was fitting that Len Ganley – the sport’s most celebrated 1980s referee beyond the advent of colour TV – was on hand to fetch the balls, never once breaking sweat while O’Sullivan went into positional autopilot, never once losing control of the white ball.

Three-time world champion Mark Williams described Murphy’s outlandish break as achieving the “impossible” against unfortunate Hungarian teenager Bulcsu Revesz, who broke off before witnessing a unique piece of snooker history as a spectator.

Only 27 centuries have been compiled in 12 years of the Shoot Out.

“It was an unbelievable break in this format with all the noise from the crowd. The third last red was one of the best shots you’ll ever see, given that he only had ten seconds.

“It’s got to be up there with the best-ever achievements in snooker.”

Murphy joins Judd Trump on eight career 147 breaks with only O’Sullivan (15), John Higgins (12) and Stephen Hendry (11) and Stuart Bingham (9) ahead of him on the all-time list.

“This is showbusiness and we have to entertain the people who have paid money to watch us,” said Murphy, who faces Dominic Dale in the second round on Friday afternoon.

“I am going to enjoy this and celebrate tonight, because 147s are very rare in any format.”

“Absolutely amazing,” said Jimmy ‘Whirlwind’ White, who himself produced the second of 14 Crucible 147s in televised history against Tony Drago at the 1992 World Championship. “You’ve made history in the Shoot Out. I don’t think that will be equalled.”

“Honestly one of the best things I’ve ever seen in snooker. Simply ridiculous,” said the former Masters and UK champion.