# 2015 Welsh Open (snooker)

The 2015 Welsh Open (officially the 2015 BetVictor Welsh Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament held at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff from 16 to 22 February 2015. The tournament was staged in Cardiff for the first time since 2004, having moved from Newport.
Ronnie O'Sullivan was the defending champion, but he lost 3–4 against Matthew Stevens in the last 32.
The best-performing Welsh player was Mark Williams, who reached the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time in 12 years. He lost 5–6 to Ben Woollaston, who reached the first ranking final of his professional career.
John Higgins defeated Woollaston 9–3 in the final to win the Welsh Open for a record fourth time and claim his first ranking title in two and a half years.

## Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:

## Main draw

128 players started the tournament, with the first four rounds played over the best of 7 frames. The quarter finals were played over 9 frames with the semi-finals over the best of 11. The final was over 17 frames.

### Top half
#### Section 1

| Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames |
| Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | | | | |
| Vinnie Calabrese | 1 | | | | |
| Vinnie Calabrese | 1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | | |
| | | Rory McLeod | 2 | | |
| Rory McLeod | 4 | Rory McLeod | 2 | | |
| Andrew Pagett | 2 | | | | |
| Andrew Pagett | 2 | | | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 3 |
| | | | | Matthew Stevens | 4 |
| Ken Doherty | 4 | | | Matthew Stevens | 4 |
| Zhou Yuelong | 3 | | | | |
| Zhou Yuelong | 3 | Ken Doherty | 3 | | |
| | | Matthew Stevens | 4 | | |
| Matthew Stevens | 4 | Matthew Stevens | 4 | | |
| Oliver Lines | 3 | | | | | | |
| Oliver Lines | 3 | | | | | Matthew Stevens | 2 |
| | | | | | | Marco Fu | 4 |
| Michael Holt | 2 | | | | | Marco Fu | 4 |
| Ashley Carty | 4 | | | | | | |
| Ashley Carty | 4 | Ashley Carty | 4 | | | | |
| | | Alfie Burden | 0 | | | | |
| Alfie Burden | 4 | Alfie Burden | 0 | | | | |
| Andrew Norman | 1 | | | | | | |
| Andrew Norman | 1 | | | Ashley Carty | 2 | | |
| | | | | Marco Fu | 4 |
| Dechawat Poomjaeng | 4 | | | Marco Fu | 4 |
| Allan Taylor | 3 | | | | |
| Allan Taylor | 3 | Dechawat Poomjaeng | 2 | | |
| | | Marco Fu | 4 | | |
| Marco Fu | 4 | Marco Fu | 4 | | |
| Ian Glover | 2 | | | | |

#### Section 2

| Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames |
| Shaun Murphy | 4 | | | | |
| Steven Hallworth | 3 | | | | |
| Steven Hallworth | 3 | Shaun Murphy | 3 | | |
| | | Jamie Jones | 4 | | |
| Jamie Jones | 4 | Jamie Jones | 4 | | |
| Chris Norbury | 0 | | | | |
| Chris Norbury | 0 | | | Jamie Jones | 2 |
| | | | | Mark Williams | 4 |
| Jimmy White | 3 | | | Mark Williams | 4 |
| Barry Pinches | 4 | | | | |
| Barry Pinches | 4 | Barry Pinches | 2 | | |
| | | Mark Williams | 4 | | |
| Mark Williams | 4 | Mark Williams | 4 | | |
| Lyu Haotian | 0 | | | | | | |
| Lyu Haotian | 0 | | | | | Mark Williams | 4 |
| | | | | | | Judd Trump | 1 |
| Dominic Dale | 3 | | | | | Judd Trump | 1 |
| Michael Wasley | 4 | | | | | | |
| Michael Wasley | 4 | Michael Wasley | 4 | | | | |
| | | Li Hang | 2 | | | | |
| Jack Lisowski | 3 | Li Hang | 2 | | | | |
| Li Hang | 4 | | | | | | |
| Li Hang | 4 | | | Michael Wasley | 2 | | |
| | | | | Judd Trump | 4 |
| Mark Joyce | 4 | | | Judd Trump | 4 |
| Joel Walker | 2 | | | | |
| Joel Walker | 2 | Mark Joyce | 0 | | |
| | | Judd Trump | 4 | | |
| Judd Trump | 4 | Judd Trump | 4 | | |
| James Wattana | 2 | | | | |

#### Section 3

| Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames |
| Mark Allen | 4 | | | | |
| Alexander Ursenbacher | 1 | | | | |
| Alexander Ursenbacher | 1 | Mark Allen | 4 | | |
| | | Cao Yupeng | 3 | | |
| Cao Yupeng | 4 | Cao Yupeng | 3 | | |
| Craig Steadman | 2 | | | | |
| Craig Steadman | 2 | | | Mark Allen | 3 |
| | | | | Ben Woollaston | 4 |
| Ben Woollaston | 4 | | | Ben Woollaston | 4 |
| Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon | 2 | | | | |
| Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon | 2 | Ben Woollaston | 4 | | |
| | | Mark Davis | 1 | | |
| Mark Davis | 4 | Mark Davis | 1 | | |
| Lyu Chenwei | 3 | | | | | | |
| Lyu Chenwei | 3 | | | | | Ben Woollaston | 4 |
| | | | | | | Ali Carter | 2 |
| Xiao Guodong | 4 | | | | | Ali Carter | 2 |
| Joe Swail | 1 | | | | | | |
| Joe Swail | 1 | Xiao Guodong | 1 | | | | |
| | | Matthew Selt | 4 | | | | |
| Matthew Selt | 4 | Matthew Selt | 4 | | | | |
| Ian Burns | 1 | | | | | | |
| Ian Burns | 1 | | | Matthew Selt | 3 | | |
| | | | | Ali Carter | 4 |
| Mark King | 4 | | | Ali Carter | 4 |
| Eden Sharav | 0 | | | | |
| Eden Sharav | 0 | Mark King | 0 | | |
| | | Ali Carter | 4 | | |
| Ali Carter | 4 | Ali Carter | 4 | | |
| Fraser Patrick | 1 | | | | |

#### Section 4

| Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames |
| Joe Perry | 4 | | | | |
| Lee Page | 3 | | | | |
| Lee Page | 3 | Joe Perry | 4 | | |
| | | Yu Delu | 0 | | |
| Yu Delu | w/o | Yu Delu | 0 | | |
| John Sutton | w/d | | | | |
| John Sutton | w/d | | | Joe Perry | 2 |
| | | | | Gary Wilson | 4 |
| Gary Wilson | 4 | | | Gary Wilson | 4 |
| Zhang Anda | 0 | | | | |
| Zhang Anda | 0 | Gary Wilson | 4 | | |
| | | John Astley | 3 | | |
| David Gilbert | 1 | John Astley | 3 | | |
| John Astley | 4 | | | | | | |
| John Astley | 4 | | | | | Gary Wilson | 4 |
| | | | | | | Neil Robertson | 2 |
| Anthony McGill | 4 | | | | | Neil Robertson | 2 |
| David Grace | 3 | | | | | | |
| David Grace | 3 | Anthony McGill | 2 | | | | |
| | | Jamie Cope | 4 | | | | |
| Jamie Cope | 4 | Jamie Cope | 4 | | | | |
| Elliot Slessor | 3 | | | | | | |
| Elliot Slessor | 3 | | | Jamie Cope | 3 | | |
| | | | | Neil Robertson | 4 |
| David Morris | 4 | | | Neil Robertson | 4 |
| Joe O'Connor | 0 | | | | |
| Joe O'Connor | 0 | David Morris | 0 | | |
| | | Neil Robertson | 4 | | |
| Neil Robertson | 4 | Neil Robertson | 4 | | |
| James Cahill | 0 | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 5

| Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames |
| Ding Junhui | 1 | | | | |
| Lee Walker | 4 | | | | |
| Lee Walker | 4 | Lee Walker | 2 | | |
| | | Michael Georgiou | 4 | | |
| Peter Lines | 1 | Michael Georgiou | 4 | | |
| Michael Georgiou | 4 | | | | |
| Michael Georgiou | 4 | | | Michael Georgiou | 4 |
| | | | | Graeme Dott | 3 |
| Andrew Higginson | 2 | | | Graeme Dott | 3 |
| Chris Wakelin | 4 | | | | |
| Chris Wakelin | 4 | Chris Wakelin | 1 | | |
| | | Graeme Dott | 4 | | |
| Graeme Dott | 4 | Graeme Dott | 4 | | |
| Zak Surety | 1 | | | | | | |
| Zak Surety | 1 | | | | | Michael Georgiou | 2 |
| | | | | | | John Higgins | 4 |
| Liang Wenbo | 4 | | | | | John Higgins | 4 |
| Cao Xinlong | 0 | | | | | | |
| Cao Xinlong | 0 | Liang Wenbo | 4 | | | | |
| | | Gerard Greene | 0 | | | | |
| Gerard Greene | 4 | Gerard Greene | 0 | | | | |
| Daniel Wells | 2 | | | | | | |
| Daniel Wells | 2 | | | Liang Wenbo | 0 | | |
| | | | | John Higgins | 4 |
| Jamie Burnett | 3 | | | John Higgins | 4 |
| Alex Borg | 4 | | | | |
| Alex Borg | 4 | Alex Borg | 0 | | |
| | | John Higgins | 4 | | |
| John Higgins | 4 | John Higgins | 4 | | |
| Michael Leslie | 1 | | | | |

#### Section 6

| Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames |
| Stephen Maguire | 4 | | | | |
| Duane Jones | 0 | | | | |
| Duane Jones | 0 | Stephen Maguire | 4 | | |
| | | Liam Highfield | 2 | | |
| Kurt Maflin | 1 | Liam Highfield | 2 | | |
| Liam Highfield | 4 | | | | |
| Liam Highfield | 4 | | | Stephen Maguire | 4 |
| | | | | Sam Baird | 2 |
| Robbie Williams | 1 | | | Sam Baird | 2 |
| Dave Harold | 4 | | | | |
| Dave Harold | 4 | Dave Harold | 0 | | |
| | | Sam Baird | 4 | | |
| Fergal O'Brien | 3 | Sam Baird | 4 | | |
| Sam Baird | 4 | | | | | | |
| Sam Baird | 4 | | | | | Stephen Maguire | 4 |
| | | | | | | Alan McManus | 0 |
| Alan McManus | 4 | | | | | Alan McManus | 0 |
| Jamie Clarke | 2 | | | | | | |
| Jamie Clarke | 2 | Alan McManus | 4 | | | | |
| | | Ahmed Saif | 0 | | | | |
| Anthony Hamilton | 0 | Ahmed Saif | 0 | | | | |
| Ahmed Saif | 4 | | | | | | |
| Ahmed Saif | 4 | | | Alan McManus | 4 | | |
| | | | | Aditya Mehta | 0 |
| Aditya Mehta | 4 | | | Aditya Mehta | 0 |
| Sydney Wilson | 0 | | | | |
| Sydney Wilson | 0 | Aditya Mehta | 4 | | |
| | | Barry Hawkins | 2 | | |
| Barry Hawkins | 4 | Barry Hawkins | 2 | | |
| Scott Donaldson | 3 | | | | |

#### Section 7

| Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames |
| Stuart Bingham | 4 | | | | |
| Thor Chuan Leong | 3 | | | | |
| Thor Chuan Leong | 3 | Stuart Bingham | 4 | | |
| | | Robin Hull | 2 | | |
| Kyren Wilson | 0 | Robin Hull | 2 | | |
| Robin Hull | 4 | | | | |
| Robin Hull | 4 | | | Stuart Bingham | 4 |
| | | | | Michael White | 1 |
| Nigel Bond | 3 | | | Michael White | 1 |
| Chris Melling | 4 | | | | |
| Chris Melling | 4 | Chris Melling | 0 | | |
| | | Michael White | 4 | | |
| Michael White | 4 | Michael White | 4 | | |
| Ross Muir | 1 | | | | | | |
| Ross Muir | 1 | | | | | Stuart Bingham | 2 |
| | | | | | | Ricky Walden | 4 |
| Martin Gould | 4 | | | | | Ricky Walden | 4 |
| Jak Jones | 0 | | | | | | |
| Jak Jones | 0 | Martin Gould | 4 | | | | |
| | | Rod Lawler | 1 | | | | |
| Rod Lawler | 4 | Rod Lawler | 1 | | | | |
| Hammad Miah | 1 | | | | | | |
| Hammad Miah | 1 | | | Martin Gould | 2 | | |
| | | | | Ricky Walden | 4 |
| Thepchaiya Un-Nooh | 4 | | | Ricky Walden | 4 |
| Mitchell Mann | 2 | | | | |
| Mitchell Mann | 2 | Thepchaiya Un-Nooh | 1 | | |
| | | Ricky Walden | 4 | | |
| Ricky Walden | 4 | Ricky Walden | 4 | | |
| Lu Ning | 0 | | | | |

#### Section 8

| Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 128 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 64 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 32 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames | Last 16 Best of 7 frames |
| Robert Milkins | 0 | | | | |
| Luca Brecel | 4 | | | | |
| Luca Brecel | 4 | Luca Brecel | 4 | | |
| | | Tian Pengfei | 1 | | |
| Tom Ford | 2 | Tian Pengfei | 1 | | |
| Tian Pengfei | 4 | | | | |
| Tian Pengfei | 4 | | | Luca Brecel | 4 |
| | | | | Oliver Brown | 0 |
| Mike Dunn | 3 | | | Oliver Brown | 0 |
| Oliver Brown | 4 | | | | |
| Oliver Brown | 4 | Oliver Brown | 4 | | |
| | | Ryan Day | 1 | | |
| Ryan Day | 4 | Ryan Day | 1 | | |
| Noppon Saengkham | 1 | | | | | | |
| Noppon Saengkham | 1 | | | | | Luca Brecel | 4 |
| | | | | | | Mark Selby | 3 |
| Peter Ebdon | 4 | | | | | Mark Selby | 3 |
| Tony Drago | 0 | | | | | | |
| Tony Drago | 0 | Peter Ebdon | 4 | | | | |
| | | Jimmy Robertson | 1 | | | | |
| Jimmy Robertson | 4 | Jimmy Robertson | 1 | | | | |
| Igor Figueiredo | 3 | | | | | | |
| Igor Figueiredo | 3 | | | Peter Ebdon | 3 | | |
| | | | | Mark Selby | 4 |
| Marcus Campbell | 4 | | | Mark Selby | 4 |
| Stuart Carrington | 3 | | | | |
| Stuart Carrington | 3 | Marcus Campbell | 2 | | |
| | | Mark Selby | 4 | | |
| Mark Selby | 4 | Mark Selby | 4 | | |
| Alex Davies | 0 | | | | |

### Finals

| Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames |
| Marco Fu | 1 | | |
| Mark Williams | 5 | | |
| Mark Williams | 5 | Mark Williams | 5 |
| | | Ben Woollaston | 6 |
| Ben Woollaston | 5 | Ben Woollaston | 6 |
| Gary Wilson | 2 | | | | |
| Gary Wilson | 2 | | | Ben Woollaston | 3 |
| | | | | John Higgins | 9 |
| John Higgins | 5 | | | John Higgins | 9 |
| Stephen Maguire | 1 | | | | |
| Stephen Maguire | 1 | John Higgins | 6 | | |
| | | Luca Brecel | 4 |
| Ricky Walden | 3 | Luca Brecel | 4 |
| Luca Brecel | 5 | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Marcel Eckardt Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, 22 February 2015. :
| Ben Woollaston England | 3–9 | John Higgins Scotland |
| Afternoon: 4–120 (84), 71–51 (58), 17–101 (63), 0–105 (105), 74–23 (54), 0–84 (66), 62–19, 59–72 (Woollaston 59) Evening: 5–97, 34–69, 9–88 (68), 8–130 (83) |||
| 59 | Highest break | 105 |
| 0 | Century breaks | 1 |
| 3 | 50+ breaks | 6 |