2018 Championship League Explained

Tournament Name:Championship League
Venue:Ricoh Arena
Location:Coventry
Country:England
Format:Non-ranking event
Total Prize Fund:£180,300
Winners Share:£10,000 (plus bonuses)
Highest Break: (147)
(147)
Score:3–2
Previous:2017
Next:2019

The 2018 Championship League was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament taking place from 2 January to 29 March 2018.[1] It was the 11th staging of the tournament.

The defending champion John Higgins retained his title with a 3–2 final win over Zhou Yuelong. As in the previous edition of the tournament Higgins had entered the competition in Group 7 and from there won his way through to the Winners' Group.[2]

Martin Gould and Luca Brecel both made their maiden official maximum breaks in this tournament. Gould achieved his maximum in the deciding frame of his Group 6 round robin match against . Brecel achieved his in the third frame of a 3–0 whitewash of defending champion John Higgins in their Group 7 round robin match. These were the 135th and 136th official maximum breaks and the fourth and fifth of the 2017/2018 season. It was the fifth consecutive year that a maximum was made in the Championship League, and the second consecutive year that two were made.[3]

Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for the 2018 Championship League is shown below.[4]

Group 1–7
Winners' Group

Group 1

Group 1 was played on 2 and 3 January 2018. Zhou Yuelong was the first player to qualify for the Winners' Group.[5]

Matches

Play-offs

Group 2

Group 2 was played on 4 and 5 January 2018. Mark Selby was the second player to qualify for the Winners' Group, recording his 500th career century in the Group 2 final against Barry Hawkins.[6]

Matches

Note

Play-offs

Group 3

Group 3 was played on 8 and 9 January 2018. Kyren Wilson was the third player to qualify for the Winners' Group.[8]

Matches

NoteAnthony McGill withdrew before the tournament and was replaced by Tom Ford.

Play-offs

Group 4

Group 4 was played on 10 and 11 January 2018. Ali Carter was the fourth player to qualify for the Winners' Group.[9] On the first day, Judd Trump made his 500th career century in his match against Liang Wenbo.[10]

Matches

Note

Play-offs

Group 5

Group 5 was played on 23 and 24 January 2018. Mark Williams was the fifth player to qualify for the Winners' Group.[11]

Matches

NoteBarry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy and Liang Wenbo withdrew from the tournament and were replaced by Joe Perry, David Gilbert and Ben Woollaston.

Play-offs

Group 6

Group 6 was played on 25 and 26 January 2018. Martin Gould was the sixth player to qualify for the Winners' Group.[12]

Matches

Play-offs

Group 7

Group 7 was played on 26 and 27 March 2018. John Higgins was the seventh player to qualify for the Winners' Group.[13]

Matches

NotesGraeme Dott and Li Hang withdrew from the tournament prior to Group 7 play. They were replaced by Dominic Dale and Jimmy Robertson.

Play-offs

Winners' Group

The Winners' Group was played on 28 and 29 March 2018. In the final, John Higgins defeated Zhou Yuelong 3–2 to retain his Championship League title and win it for the second time in his career.[2]

Matches

Notes

Play-offs

Century breaks

Total: 116

Bold: highest break in the indicated group.

Winnings

No.Player1234567WTOTAL
16,20015,20021,400
26,20010,50016,700
32,6003,2004,3005,10015,200
41,1005,9006,20013,200
51,1002,4006,6002,40012,500
66,3006,00012,300
7 (3)4,9002,7003,20010,800
84,5002,2002,5009,200
91,2006,9001,0009,100
106,6001,8008,400
114,7001,1001,2007,000
123,3002,1009006,300
13 (2)4,7001004,800
14 (3)4,4004,400
153,1007003,800
data-sort-value=16=2,8001,0003,800
172,8007003,500
18 (4)3,0003,000
192,8002,800
20 (1)1,7001,700
21 (3)1,5001,500
221,4001,400
23 (4)1,3001,300
241,2001,200
251,1001,100
261,0001,000
27900900
28800800
data-sort-value=29=800800
30400400
Total prize money20,80019,20020,00018,70019,60019,20019,70043,100180,300
Green: Won the group. Bold: Highest break in the group. All prize money in GBP.
Notes
(1) Neil Robertson withdrew for personal reasons after his fifth match in Group 2.
(2) Mark Allen withdrew due to family reasons after his first match in Group 4.
(3) Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy and Liang Wenbo withdrew from the tournament prior to Group 5 play.
(4) Graeme Dott and Li Hang withdrew from the tournament prior to Group 7 play.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2017/18 World Snooker Calendar. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 14 July 2017. 23 July 2017.
  2. Web site: Higgins Retains Championship League Crown. Championship League Snooker. Matchroom Sport Ltd.. 30 March 2018.
  3. Web site: Gould Makes Maiden 147. 26 January 2018. World Snooker.
  4. Web site: Home - Championship League Snooker. Championship League Snooker.
  5. Web site: Zhou Wins CLS Group One. 4 January 2018. World Snooker.
  6. Web site: Selby Makes 500th Century. 5 January 2018. World Snooker.
  7. Web site: Fixtures and results. championshipleaguesnooker.co.uk. Perform. 19 February 2018. 13 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150213205124/http://www.championshipleaguesnooker.co.uk/fixtures-results/. dead.
  8. Web site: Kyren Wilson Is Group 3 Champion - Championship League Snooker. 9 January 2018.
  9. Web site: Ali Carter Is Group 4 Champion - Championship League Snooker. 11 January 2018.
  10. Web site: 2018 Championship League - Group 4 . snooker.org . 8 December 2020.
  11. Web site: Williams Is Group 5 Champ - Championship League Snooker. 24 January 2018.
  12. Web site: Gould Takes Group 6 Honours - Championship League Snooker. 26 January 2018.
  13. Web site: Higgins Takes Final Berth In Winners' Group. Championship League Snooker. Matchroom Sport Ltd.. 27 March 2018.

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