# 1997 UK Championship

The 1997 UK Championship (officially the 1997 Liverpool Victoria UK Championship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place at the Guild Hall in Preston, England. The event started on 12 November 1997 and the televised stages were shown on BBC between 22 and 30 November 1997. This was the last UK championship to be held in Preston, where the event was held since 1978. The following year's competition was held in Bournemouth.
Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated Stephen Hendry 10–6 in the final, ending Hendry's run of three successive UK championship wins. O'Sullivan had been the last player other than Hendry to win the event, as a 17-year-old in 1993. The highest TV break of the competition was 137 made by Stephen Lee and it was worth £5,000.

## Prize fund

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

## Main draw
### Top half

| Round 1 (Last 64) Best of 17 frames | Round 1 (Last 64) Best of 17 frames | Round 1 (Last 64) Best of 17 frames | Round 2 (Last 32) Best of 17 frames | Round 2 (Last 32) Best of 17 frames | Round 2 (Last 32) Best of 17 frames | Round 3 (Last 16) Best of 17 frames | Round 3 (Last 16) Best of 17 frames | Round 3 (Last 16) Best of 17 frames | | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | | Semi-final Best of 17 frames | Semi-final Best of 17 frames | Semi-final Best of 17 frames |
| 1 | Stephen Hendry | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 86 | John Read | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 86 | John Read | 2 | 1 | Stephen Hendry | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 82 | Sean Storey | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Martin Clark | 5 | 82 | Sean Storey | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 82 | Sean Storey | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 82 | Sean Storey | 9 | | | | 1 | Stephen Hendry | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 14 | Anthony Hamilton | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Mick Price | 6 | | | | | | | 14 | Anthony Hamilton | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Jamie Burnett | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Jamie Burnett | 9 | 38 | Jamie Burnett | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 14 | Anthony Hamilton | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Anthony Hamilton | 9 | 14 | Anthony Hamilton | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 131 | Troy Shaw | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 131 | Troy Shaw | 2 | | | | | | | | 1 | Stephen Hendry | 9 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | |
| 10 | Alan McManus | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | |
| 60 | Tony Jones | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 60 | Tony Jones | 6 | 10 | Alan McManus | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 21 | Jimmy White | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Jimmy White | 9 | 21 | Jimmy White | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 48 | Paul Davies | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 48 | Paul Davies | 2 | | | | 10 | Alan McManus | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 42 | Jason Prince | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | Dave Harold | 6 | | | | | | | 42 | Jason Prince | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 42 | Jason Prince | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 42 | Jason Prince | 9 | 42 | Jason Prince | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Peter Ebdon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Peter Ebdon | 9 | 5 | Peter Ebdon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 152 | David Gray | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 152 | David Gray | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Stephen Hendry | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 53 | Matthew Stevens | 5 |
| 8 | Nigel Bond | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 53 | Matthew Stevens | 5 |
| 104 | Quinten Hann | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 104 | Quinten Hann | 9 | 104 | Quinten Hann | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 116 | Martin Dziewialtowski | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Joe Swail | 5 | 116 | Martin Dziewialtowski | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 116 | Martin Dziewialtowski | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 116 | Martin Dziewialtowski | 9 | | | | 116 | Martin Dziewialtowski | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 51 | Dean Reynolds | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Brian Morgan | 7 | | | | | | | 51 | Dean Reynolds | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Dean Reynolds | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Dean Reynolds | 9 | 51 | Dean Reynolds | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 59 | Shokat Ali | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Alain Robidoux | 3 | 59 | Shokat Ali | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 59 | Shokat Ali | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 59 | Shokat Ali | 9 | | | | | | | | 116 | Martin Dziewialtowski | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 53 | Matthew Stevens | 9 | | | | |
| 11 | Tony Drago | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 53 | Matthew Stevens | 9 | | | | |
| 76 | Ian McCulloch | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 76 | Ian McCulloch | 7 | 11 | Tony Drago | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 53 | Matthew Stevens | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Rod Lawler | 7 | 53 | Matthew Stevens | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Matthew Stevens | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 53 | Matthew Stevens | 9 | | | | 53 | Matthew Stevens | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | Steve James | 5 | | | | | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Dennis Taylor | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Dennis Taylor | 9 | 34 | Dennis Taylor | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Mark Williams | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Mark Williams | 9 | 4 | Mark Williams | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 45 | Jonathan Birch | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

| Round 1 (Last 64) Best of 17 frames | Round 1 (Last 64) Best of 17 frames | Round 1 (Last 64) Best of 17 frames | Round 2 (Last 32) Best of 17 frames | Round 2 (Last 32) Best of 17 frames | Round 2 (Last 32) Best of 17 frames | Round 3 (Last 16) Best of 17 frames | Round 3 (Last 16) Best of 17 frames | Round 3 (Last 16) Best of 17 frames | | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 17 frames | | Semi-final Best of 17 frames | Semi-final Best of 17 frames | Semi-final Best of 17 frames |
| 3 | Ken Doherty | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 41 | Karl Broughton | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 41 | Karl Broughton | 3 | 3 | Ken Doherty | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 30 | Neal Foulds | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | Neal Foulds | 9 | 30 | Neal Foulds | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 78 | Karl Burrows | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 78 | Karl Burrows | 6 | | | | 30 | Neal Foulds | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 16 | Stephen Lee | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Chris Small | 9 | | | | | | | 16 | Stephen Lee | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| 43 | Paul Hunter | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 43 | Paul Hunter | 8 | 25 | Chris Small | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 16 | Stephen Lee | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Stephen Lee | 9 | 16 | Stephen Lee | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 50 | Mark Bennett | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 50 | Mark Bennett | 5 | | | | | | | | 16 | Stephen Lee | 9 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 20 | Mark King | 2 | | | | |
| 15 | Darren Morgan | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 20 | Mark King | 2 | | | | |
| 54 | Dominic Dale | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 54 | Dominic Dale | 2 | 15 | Darren Morgan | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 80 | Bradley Jones | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | Fergal O'Brien | 2 | 80 | Bradley Jones | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 80 | Bradley Jones | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 80 | Bradley Jones | 9 | | | | 15 | Darren Morgan | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 20 | Mark King | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Mark King | 9 | | | | | | | 20 | Mark King | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| 90 | Peter Lines | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 90 | Peter Lines | 4 | 20 | Mark King | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | John Parrott | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | John Parrott | 9 | 6 | John Parrott | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 69 | Paul Wykes | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 69 | Paul Wykes | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | 16 | Stephen Lee | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 9 |
| 7 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 9 |
| 97 | Marcus Campbell | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 97 | Marcus Campbell | 6 | 7 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 29 | Terry Murphy | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Terry Murphy | 9 | 29 | Terry Murphy | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 64 | Chris Scanlon | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 64 | Chris Scanlon | 8 | | | | 7 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 17 | Gary Wilkinson | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | Gary Wilkinson | 9 | | | | | | | 17 | Gary Wilkinson | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| 36 | Willie Thorne | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 36 | Willie Thorne | 7 | 17 | Gary Wilkinson | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | James Wattana | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | James Wattana | 9 | 12 | James Wattana | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 58 | Wayne Jones | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 58 | Wayne Jones | 6 | | | | | | | | 7 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 9 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 62 | Gerard Greene | 6 | | | | |
| 13 | Steve Davis | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 62 | Gerard Greene | 6 | | | | |
| 62 | Gerard Greene | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 62 | Gerard Greene | 9 | 62 | Gerard Greene | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 19 | Andy Hicks | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Andy Hicks | 9 | 19 | Andy Hicks | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 105 | Lee Richardson | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 105 | Lee Richardson | 8 | | | | 62 | Gerard Greene | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 85 | Gary Ponting | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | Billy Snaddon | 6 | | | | | | | 85 | Gary Ponting | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Dene O'Kane | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Dene O'Kane | 9 | 35 | Dene O'Kane | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 85 | Gary Ponting | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | John Higgins | 4 | 85 | Gary Ponting | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 85 | Gary Ponting | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 19 frames. Referee: John Williams The Guild Hall, Preston, England, 30 November 1997. :
| Stephen Hendry (1) Scotland | 6–10 | Ronnie O'Sullivan (7) England |
| First session: 103–29 (89), 75–37, 13–78 (78), 10–115 (78), 63–44 (57), 88–16 (67), 28–67, 73–21 (68), 33–98 (98) Second session: 23–75, 0–89 (89), 0–72, 0–79 (54), 0–82, 80–1, 17–70 (70) |||
| 89 | Highest break | 98 |
| 0 | Century breaks | 0 |
| 4 | 50+ breaks | 6 |

## Qualifying

1st Round Best of 11 frames
| Player | Score | Player |
| Michael Judge (56) | 3–6 | John Read (86) |
| Euan Henderson (44) | 1–6 | Sean Storey (82) |
| Jamie Burnett (38) | 6–1 | Craig MacGillivray (159) |
| David Finbow (39) | 4–6 | Troy Shaw (131) |
| Tony Jones (60) | 6–3 | John Lardner (130) |
| Paul Davies (48) | 6–4 | Steve Judd (92) |
| Jason Prince (42) | 6–4 | Matthew Couch (94) |
| Graeme Dott (33) | 5–6 | David Gray (152) |
| Joe Johnson (52) | 3–6 | Quinten Hann (104) |
| Anthony Davies (61) | 3–6 | Martin Dziewialtowski (116) |
| Dean Reynolds (51) | 6–3 | Stephen O'Connor (106) |
| Shokat Ali (59) | 6–4 | Karl Payne (77) |
| Jason Ferguson (37) | 5–6 | Ian McCulloch (76) |
| Matthew Stevens (53) | 6–3 | Jamie Woodman (71) |
| Dennis Taylor (34) | 6–2 | Wayne Brown (99) |
| Jonathan Birch (45) | 6–0 | Mark Gray (150) |
| Player | Score | Player |
| Karl Broughton (41) | 6–2 | Lee Walker (79) |
| David Roe (49) | 4–6 | Karl Burrows (78) |
| Paul Hunter (43) | 6–3 | Nick Walker (67) |
| Mark Bennett (50) | 6–4 | Darren Clarke (84) |
| Dominic Dale (54) | 6–5 | Alfie Burden (122) |
| Drew Henry (40) | 5–6 | Bradley Jones (80) |
| Jimmy Michie (55) | 5–6 | Peter Lines (90) |
| Mark Davis (47) | 5–6 | Paul Wykes (69) |
| Tony Chappel (46) | 5–6 | Marcus Campbell (97) |
| Chris Scanlon (64) | 6–4 | Joe Perry (123) |
| Willie Thorne (36) | 6–2 | Peter McCullagh (162) |
| Wayne Jones (58) | 6–4 | Leigh Griffin (143) |
| Gerard Greene (62) | 6–5 | Ian Brumby (101) |
| Stefan Mazrocis (65) | 5–6 | Lee Richardson (105) |
| Dene O'Kane (35) | 6–2 | Stuart Pettman (87) |
| Nick Pearce (57) | 4–6 | Gary Ponting (85) |

## Century breaks

* 143, 121, 120, 105, 100 – Matthew Stevens
* 138, 129, 119, 115 – Anthony Hamilton
* 137, 121, 119, 115 – Stephen Lee
* 136 – Jamie Burnett
* 134, 115 – Peter Ebdon
* 131 – David Gray
* 130, 126, 113, 107 – Alan McManus
* 130, 100, 100 – Quinten Hann
* 130 – Dean Reynolds
* 124, 113, 105 – Ronnie O'Sullivan
* 124 – Mark Bennett
* 122 – Peter Lines
* 119, 116, 110, 108 – Darren Morgan
* 119 – Andy Hicks
* 116, 114 – Bradley Jones
* 116 – Stuart Pettman
* 115 – Mark Williams
* 113, 100 – Ian McCulloch
* 112, 111 – Karl Burrows
* 108, 106, 105, 101 – Martin Dziewialtowski
* 108 – Tony Chappel
* 107 – Rod Lawler
* 106 – Drew Henry
* 105 – Stephen Hendry
* 104 – Jason Prince
* 103 – Shokat Ali
* 103 – Stephen O'Connor
* 102 – John Higgins
* 102 – Gary Wilkinson
* 100 – Mick Price
* 100 – Marcus Campbell
* 100 – Dene O'Kane