# 2008 UK Championship

The 2008 UK Championship (officially the 2008 Maplin UK Championship) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 13 and 21 December 2008 at the Telford International Centre in Telford, England. It was the 32nd edition of the event.
World Snooker, the sports governing body, opened an investigation into allegations of match fixing, after Stephen Maguire beat Jamie Burnett 9–3 in the first round. Several bookmakers had stopped taking bets on the match before it even started, when reports of a number of large sums having been placed on the same correct score began to circulate within the industry. Just prior to the 2009 World Championship, where Maguire and Burnett were drawn together the first round, it was announced that Strathclyde Police had opened an official enquiry into the match. The enquiry was closed in 2011 with no criminal charges against either of them, and a World Snooker disciplinary enquiry was announced, which ended without any regulatory action. In September 2013 it was announced, that Stephen Lee was found guilty of agreeing to lose the first frame of his first and second round matches.
Shaun Murphy won the title with a 10–9 victory over Marco Fu.

## Prize fund

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

## Main draw

| Last 32 Best of 17 frames | Last 32 Best of 17 frames | Last 32 Best of 17 frames | Last 16 Best of 17 frames | Last 16 Best of 17 frames | 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-finals Best of 17 frames | Semi-finals Best of 17 frames | Semi-finals Best of 17 frames | | Final Best of 19 frames | Final Best of 19 frames | Final Best of 19 frames |
| 1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG) | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rory McLeod (ENG) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rory McLeod (ENG) | 6 | 1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Joe Perry | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Joe Perry (ENG) | 9 | 12 | Joe Perry | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Davis (ENG) | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Davis (ENG) | 0 | | | | 12 | Joe Perry | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 14 | Marco Fu | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Marco Fu (HKG) | 9 | | | | | | | 14 | Marco Fu | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Hawkins (ENG) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Hawkins (ENG) | 6 | 14 | Marco Fu | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Matthew Stevens | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Ryan Day (WAL) | 5 | | Matthew Stevens | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Matthew Stevens (WAL) | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Matthew Stevens (WAL) | 9 | | | | | | | | 14 | Marco Fu | 9 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Ali Carter | 7 | | | | |
| 7 | Ali Carter (ENG) | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | Ali Carter | 7 | | | | |
| | Ian McCulloch (ENG) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ian McCulloch (ENG) | 2 | 7 | Ali Carter | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 9 | Peter Ebdon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Peter Ebdon (ENG) | 9 | 9 | Peter Ebdon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andrew Higginson (ENG) | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andrew Higginson (ENG) | 8 | | | | 7 | Ali Carter | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Mark Williams | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Graeme Dott (SCO) | 9 | | | | | | | | Mark Williams | 8 | | | | | | | | |
| | Ken Doherty (IRL) | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ken Doherty (IRL) | 4 | 13 | Graeme Dott | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Mark Williams | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Mark Selby (ENG) | 7 | | Mark Williams | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Williams (WAL) | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Williams (WAL) | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | Marco Fu | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Shaun Murphy | 10 |
| 3 | Shaun Murphy (ENG) | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Shaun Murphy | 10 |
| | Martin Gould (ENG) | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Martin Gould (ENG) | 7 | 3 | Shaun Murphy | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 16 | Mark Allen | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Mark Allen (NIR) | 9 | 16 | Mark Allen | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stuart Bingham (ENG) | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stuart Bingham (ENG) | 2 | | | | 3 | Shaun Murphy | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Stephen Lee | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Mark King (ENG) | 9 | | | | | | | | Stephen Lee | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | Judd Trump (ENG) | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Judd Trump (ENG) | 8 | 15 | Mark King | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Stephen Lee | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Stephen Hendry (SCO) | 7 | | Stephen Lee | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stephen Lee (ENG) | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stephen Lee (ENG) | 9 | | | | | | | | 3 | Shaun Murphy | 9 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 4 | | | | |
| 5 | John Higgins (SCO) | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 4 | | | | |
| | Joe Swail (NIR) | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Joe Swail (NIR) | 7 | 5 | John Higgins | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 11 | Ding Junhui | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Ding Junhui (CHN) | 9 | 11 | Ding Junhui | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Davis (ENG) | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Davis (ENG) | 6 | | | | 5 | John Higgins | 7 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Neil Robertson (AUS) | 9 | | | | | | | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 9 | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Holt (ENG) | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Holt (ENG) | 7 | 10 | Neil Robertson | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Stephen Maguire (SCO) | 9 | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jamie Burnett (SCO) | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 19 frames. Referee: Jan Verhaas. Telford International Centre, Telford, England, 21 December 2008. :
| Marco Fu (14) Hong Kong | 9–10 | Shaun Murphy (3) England |
| Afternoon: 34–74, 56–48, 0–99 (99), 103–17 (102), 4–70, 0–73 (73), 143–0 (69, 74), 31–66 Evening: 1–77 (77), 66–51, 75–52 (59), 58–45, 0–109 (54), 6–87 (87), 73–39, 73–40, 93–23, 1–69 (64), 24–69 |||
| 102 | Highest break | 99 |
| 1 | Century breaks | 0 |
| 4 | 50+ breaks | 6 |

## Qualifying

The qualifying took place from December 1 to 8 at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, England.
| Round 1 Best of 17 frames | Round 1 Best of 17 frames | Round 2 Best of 17 frames | Round 2 Best of 17 frames | Round 3 Best of 17 frames | Round 3 Best of 17 frames | Round 4 Best of 17 frames | Round 4 Best of 17 frames |
| Jimmy White (ENG) | 9 | Ian Preece (WAL) | 8 | Rory McLeod (ENG) | 9 | Dave Harold (ENG) | 6 |
| David Grace (ENG) | 8 | Jimmy White | 9 | Jimmy White | 8 | Rory McLeod | 9 |
| Scott MacKenzie (SCO) | 9 | Mark Davis (ENG) | 9 | Ricky Walden (ENG) | 7 | Nigel Bond (ENG) | 2 |
| Vincent Muldoon (IRL) | 4 | Scott MacKenzie | 2 | Mark Davis | 9 | Mark Davis | 9 |
| Jamie Jones (WAL) | 9 | David Gray (ENG) | 4 | Alan McManus (SCO) | 9 | Barry Hawkins (ENG) | 9 |
| Robert Stephen (SCO) | 8 | Jamie Jones | 9 | Jamie Jones | 4 | Alan McManus | 4 |
| Paul Davison (ENG) | 9 | Robert Milkins (ENG) | 9 | Marcus Campbell (SCO) | 9 | Matthew Stevens (WAL) | 9 |
| Wayne Cooper (ENG) | 5 | Paul Davison | 5 | Robert Milkins | 4 | Marcus Campbell | 3 |
| Daniel Wells (WAL) | 3 | Joe Delaney (IRL) | 9 | Mike Dunn (ENG) | 6 | Ian McCulloch (ENG) | 9 |
| Li Hang (CHN) | 9 | Li Hang | 7 | Joe Delaney | 9 | Joe Delaney | 1 |
| Matthew Couch (ENG) | 9 | Barry Pinches (ENG) | 6 | Andrew Higginson (ENG) | 9 | Anthony Hamilton (ENG) | 4 |
| Stefan Mazrocis (NED) | 7 | Matthew Couch | 9 | Matthew Couch | 5 | Andrew Higginson | 9 |
| James McBain (SCO) | 6 | Mark Joyce (ENG) | 4 | David Gilbert (ENG) | 1 | Ken Doherty (IRL) | 9 |
| Liu Chuang (CHN) | 9 | Liu Chuang | 9 | Liu Chuang | 9 | Liu Chuang | 4 |
| Rodney Goggins (IRL) | 9 | David Roe (ENG) | 0 | Gerard Greene (NIR) | 9 | Mark Williams (WAL) | 9 |
| Declan Hughes (NIR) | 1 | Rodney Goggins | 9 | Rodney Goggins | 3 | Gerard Greene | 7 |
| Supoj Saenla (THA) | 9 | Martin Gould (ENG) | 9 | Tom Ford (ENG) | 6 | Dominic Dale (WAL) | 6 |
| Andrew Pagett (WAL) | 7 | Supoj Saenla | 1 | Martin Gould | 9 | Martin Gould | 9 |
| Peter Lines (ENG) | 9 | Stuart Pettman (ENG) | 9 | Jimmy Michie (ENG) | 9 | Stuart Bingham (ENG) | 9 |
| Michael Georgiou (ENG) | 3 | Peter Lines | 6 | Stuart Pettman | 7 | Jimmy Michie | 3 |
| Simon Bedford (ENG) | 8 | Rod Lawler (ENG) | 6 | Judd Trump (ENG) | 9 | Michael Judge (IRL) | 6 |
| Jin Long (CHN) | 9 | Jin Long | 9 | Jin Long | 8 | Judd Trump | 9 |
| Patrick Wallace (NIR) | 9 | Andy Hicks (ENG) | 9 | John Parrott (ENG) | 1 | Stephen Lee (ENG) | 9 |
| Stephen Craigie (ENG) | 5 | Patrick Wallace | 7 | Andy Hicks | 9 | Andy Hicks | 6 |
| Lee Spick (ENG) | 9 | Andrew Norman (ENG) | 7 | Liang Wenbo (CHN) | 9 | Joe Swail (NIR) | 9 |
| Chris McBreen (NZL) | 6 | Lee Spick | 9 | Lee Spick | 1 | Liang Wenbo | 8 |
| Matthew Selt (ENG) | 9 | Liu Song (CHN) | 8 | Adrian Gunnell (ENG) | 9 | Steve Davis (ENG) | 9 |
| Andy Lee (ENG) | 3 | Matthew Selt | 9 | Matthew Selt | 4 | Adrian Gunnell | 7 |
| Kuldesh Johal (ENG) | 9 | Paul Davies (WAL) | 5 | Michael Holt (ENG) | 9 | Fergal O'Brien (IRL) | 4 |
| Aditya Mehta (IND) | 5 | Kuldesh Johal | 9 | Kuldesh Johal | 5 | Michael Holt | 9 |
| Lewis Roberts (ENG) | 8 | David Morris (IRL) | 9 | Jamie Burnett (SCO) | 9 | Jamie Cope (ENG) | 7 |
| Atthasit Mahitthi (THA) | 9 | Atthasit Mahitthi | 2 | David Morris | 4 | Jamie Burnett | 9 |