# 2003 Welsh Open (snooker)

The 2003 Welsh Open (officially the 2003 Regal Welsh Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 22 to 26 January at the Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales.
Paul Hunter was the defending champion, but he lost in the semi-finals 2–6 against Mark Williams. Williams in turn lost to Stephen Hendry 9–5 in the final. Hendry won his third Welsh Open title and the 34th ranking title of his career.

## Tournament summary

Defending champion Paul Hunter was the number 1 seed with World Champion Peter Ebdon seeded 2. The remaining places were allocated to players based on the world rankings.

## Prize fund

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

## Main draw

| Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames |
| 1 | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Mark Selby | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Mark Selby | 1 | 1 | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Leo Fernandez | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Mark King | 2 | | Leo Fernandez | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Leo Fernandez | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Leo Fernandez | 5 | | | | 1 | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6 | Ken Doherty | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Joe Swail | 5 | | | | | | | 6 | Ken Doherty | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 56 | Barry Pinches | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 56 | Barry Pinches | 3 | 16 | Joe Swail | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Ken Doherty | 5 | 6 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Steve Davis | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Steve Davis | 2 | | | | | | | | 1 | Paul Hunter | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 6 | | | | |
| 5 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 6 | | | | |
| 31 | Ali Carter | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Ali Carter | 4 | 5 | John Higgins | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 39 | Robin Hull | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Graeme Dott | 3 | 39 | Robin Hull | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | Robin Hull | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | Robin Hull | 5 | | | | 39 | Robin Hull | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Barry Hawkins | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Barry Hawkins | 2 | 13 | Joe Perry | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Mark Williams | 5 | 4 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | David Gray | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | David Gray | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 5 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Stephen Hendry | 9 |
| 3 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Stephen Hendry | 9 |
| 17 | Anthony Hamilton | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | Anthony Hamilton | 4 | 3 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 28 | Tony Drago | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Matthew Stevens | 1 | 28 | Tony Drago | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Tony Drago | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Tony Drago | 5 | | | | 3 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 27 | Marco Fu | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Quinten Hann | 2 | | | | | | | 27 | Marco Fu | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Marco Fu | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Marco Fu | 5 | 27 | Marco Fu | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Stephen Lee | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Stephen Lee | 5 | 8 | Stephen Lee | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Dave Harold | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Dave Harold | 3 | | | | | | | | 27 | Marco Fu | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Stephen Hendry | 6 | | | | |
| 7 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Stephen Hendry | 6 | | | | |
| 20 | Dominic Dale | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Dominic Dale | 1 | 7 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 15 | Alan McManus | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Alan McManus | 5 | 15 | Alan McManus | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 44 | Jamie Burnett | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 44 | Jamie Burnett | 3 | | | | 7 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Jimmy White | 2 | | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | Rod Lawler | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rod Lawler | 5 | | Rod Lawler | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 35 | Michael Holt | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Peter Ebdon | 2 | 35 | Michael Holt | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Michael Holt | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Eirian Williams. Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales, 26 January 2003. :
| Mark Williams (4) Wales | 5–9 | Stephen Hendry (7) Scotland |
| Afternoon: 64–0 (62), 0–127 (127), 26–90 (89), 0–140 (140), 25–83 (64), 59–49, 0–104 (104), 0–108 (108) Evening: 87–0 (87), 65–1 (54), 51–61, 62–0 (50), 31–79 (79), 0–91 (91) |||
| 87 | Highest break | 140 |
| 0 | Century breaks | 4 |
| 4 | 50+ breaks | 8 |

## Qualifying
### Round 1

Best of 9 frames
| Shaun Murphy | 1–5 | David John |
| Joe Johnson | 2–5 | Justin Astley |
| Martin Dziewialtowski | 4–5 | Leo Fernandez |
| Paul Wykes | 4–5 | Mark Gray |
| Troy Shaw | 3–5 | Munraj Pal |
| Paul Davison | 5–3 | David McLellan |
| Neal Foulds | 1–5 | Johl Younger |
| Craig Butler | 5–1 | Jimmy Robertson |
| Jeff Cundy | 4–5 | Jamie Cope |
| John Read | 4–5 | Peter Roscoe |
| Adrian Gunnell | 5–4 | David Gilbert |
| Peter Lines | 5–4 | Darren Clarke |
| Jason Ferguson | 5–2 | Stefan Mazrocis |
| Stephen Kershaw | 5–0 | Hugh Abernethy |
| Matthew Couch | 5–0 | Bob Chaperon |
| Wayne Brown | 1–5 | Pang Weiguo |
| Lee Walker | 5–3 | Matthew Farrant |
| Luke Fisher | 5–1 | Nick Pearce |
| Tony Jones | 5–3 | Eddie Manning |
| Jason Prince | 5–1 | Manan Chandra |
| Phaitoon Phonbun | 3–5 | Jason Weston |
| Paul Davies | 5–4 | Jin Long |
| Ryan Day | 5–3 | James Reynolds |
| Sean Storey | 5–0 | Kwan Poomjang |
| Andrew Higginson | 4–5 | Lee Spick |
| Kristján Helgason | 5–2 | Colm Gilcreest |
| Euan Henderson | 5–1 | Mario Wehrman |
| Alain Robidoux | 3–5 | Simon Bedford |
| Rod Lawler | 5–1 | Atthasit Mahitthi |
| Andrew Norman | 5–2 | David Donovan |
| Rory McLeod | 5–3 | Matthew Selt |
| Antony Bolsover | 4–5 | Ricky Walden |

### Round 2–5

| Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 3 Best of 9 frames | Round 3 Best of 9 frames | Round 4 Best of 9 frames | Round 4 Best of 9 frames | Round 5 Best of 9 frames | Round 5 Best of 9 frames |
| David John | 5 | Mark Selby | 5 | Jonathan Birch | 0 | Drew Henry | 3 |
| Justin Astley | 4 | David John | 4 | Mark Selby | 5 | Mark Selby | 5 |
| Leo Fernandez | 5 | Dave Finbow | 2 | Terry Murphy | 3 | Fergal O'Brien | 1 |
| Mark Gray | 3 | Leo Fernandez | 5 | Leo Fernandez | 5 | Leo Fernandez | 5 |
| Munraj Pal | 5 | Barry Pinches | 5 | Billy Snaddon | 4 | Nigel Bond | 4 |
| Paul Davison | 2 | Munraj Pal | 2 | Barry Pinches | 5 | Barry Pinches | 5 |
| Johl Younger | 3 | Nick Walker | 3 | Robert Milkins | 5 | Steve Davis | 5 |
| Craig Butler | 5 | Craig Butler | 5 | Craig Butler | 4 | Robert Milkins | 3 |
| Jamie Cope | 5 | Gerard Greene | 5 | Marcus Campbell | 5 | Ali Carter | 5 |
| Peter Roscoe | 2 | Jamie Cope | 3 | Gerard Greene | 3 | Marcus Campbell | 3 |
| Adrian Gunnell | 5 | Stuart Pettman | 5 | Robin Hull | 5 | Chris Small | 3 |
| Peter Lines | 4 | Adrian Gunnell | 1 | Stuart Pettman | 2 | Robin Hull | 5 |
| Jason Ferguson | 5 | Barry Hawkins | 5 | Alfie Burden | 4 | John Parrott | 1 |
| Stephen Kershaw | 2 | Jason Ferguson | 3 | Barry Hawkins | 5 | Barry Hawkins | 5 |
| Matthew Couch | 5 | Jimmy Michie | 5 | David Roe | 3 | David Gray | 5 |
| Pang Weiguo | 1 | Matthew Couch | 3 | Jimmy Michie | 5 | Jimmy Michie | 3 |
| Lee Walker | 4 | Bradley Jones | 0 | Mark Davis | 5 | Anthony Hamilton | 5 |
| Luke Fisher | 5 | Luke Fisher | 5 | Luke Fisher | 0 | Mark Davis | 0 |
| Tony Jones | 5 | Darren Morgan | 4 | Brian Morgan | 5 | Tony Drago | 5 |
| Jason Prince | 2 | Tony Jones | 5 | Tony Jones | 3 | Brian Morgan | 4 |
| Jason Weston | 4 | Bjorn Haneveer | 2 | Gary Wilkinson | 5 | Marco Fu | 5 |
| Paul Davies | 5 | Paul Davies | 5 | Paul Davies | 2 | Gary Wilkinson | 3 |
| Ryan Day | 4 | Stuart Bingham | 3 | Shokat Ali | 5 | Dave Harold | 5 |
| Sean Storey | 5 | Sean Storey | 5 | Sean Storey | 1 | Shokat Ali | 2 |
| Lee Spick | 5 | Andy Hicks | 5 | Ian McCulloch | 5 | Dominic Dale | 5 |
| Kristján Helgason | 4 | Lee Spick | 3 | Andy Hicks | 1 | Ian McCulloch | 4 |
| Euan Henderson | 4 | Mike Dunn | 5 | Jamie Burnett | 5 | Michael Judge | 1 |
| Simon Bedford | 5 | Simon Bedford | 2 | Mike Dunn | 2 | Jamie Burnett | 5 |
| Rod Lawler | 5 | Stephen Maguire | 4 | Patrick Wallace | 4 | James Wattana | 2 |
| Andrew Norman | 4 | Rod Lawler | 5 | Rod Lawler | 5 | Rod Lawler | 5 |
| Rory McLeod | 3 | Nick Dyson | 5 | Michael Holt | 5 | Anthony Davies | 2 |
| Ricky Walden | 5 | Ricky Walden | 4 | Nick Dyson | 2 | Michael Holt | 5 |

## Century breaks

* 140, 127, 124, 113, 108, 104 – Stephen Hendry
* 139 – Robin Hull
* 133 – Leo Fernandez
* 132 – Ali Carter
* 128 – Michael Holt
* 127 – John Higgins
* 120 – Anthony Hamilton
* 116, 100 – Mark Williams
* 110 – Paul Hunter
* 109, 104 – Ronnie O'Sullivan
* 109 – Alan McManus
* 101, 101 – Marco Fu