# Lee Walker

Lee Walker (born 11 February 1976) is a Welsh retired professional snooker player and former World Seniors Champion. He is an official WPBSA coach and is the long-term coach of Mark Williams.

## Career

After turning professional in 1994 at the age of 18, Walker reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship in 1997, with victories over Dave Harold 10–7 and Alan McManus 13–10, before he lost 13–8 to Alain Robidoux. This was the first time he had reached the latter stages of a ranking tournament, and he also reached the last 16 of the same tournament in 2004 with a 10–7 win over Stephen Lee before losing 13–5 to David Gray. He dropped off the Main Tour after the 2005–2006 season, but returned a year later after a strong campaign on the Pontin's International Open Series, from which the top 8 finishers gain Main Tour places. However he dropped off again at the end of the season.
Walker did however return to the tour in 2014 as he won a 2-year tour card by reaching the semi-final stage of the second event of the 2014 Q School.

### 2016/2017 season

In 2016–17, he had one of his most impressive seasons to date, the highlight being his run in his home tournament, the Welsh Open. He defeated Rhys Clark, and former world champions Neil Robertson and Graeme Dott before losing in the fourth round to Zhou Yuelong.

### 2017/2018 season

In the 2017–18 season, Walker had his best run in a ranking event to date, reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 Gibraltar Open where he was defeated 4–2 by eventual runner-up Cao Yupeng.

### 2021/2022 season

Walker won the 2022 World Seniors Championship at the Crucible Theatre. He recovered from 0–3 down to defeat the defending champion David Lilley in the semi-finals, and then came from 1–3 and 2–4 behind to defeat three-time champion Jimmy White 5–4 in the final. Walker became the 11th different winner of the World Seniors Championship.

### 2022/2023 season

Walker chose not to enter any tournament in the season, except the invitiational Champion of Champions. After losing his first round match against Mark Selby, he announced that he had already retired from all activities on the main tour, due to business and coaching obligations.

## Performance and rankings timeline

| Tournament | 1994/ 95 | 1995/ 96 | 1996/ 97 | 1997/ 98 | 1998/ 99 | 1999/ 00 | 2000/ 01 | 2001/ 02 | 2002/ 03 | 2003/ 04 | 2004/ 05 | 2005/ 06 | 2007/ 08 | 2012/ 13 | 2014/ 15 | 2015/ 16 | 2016/ 17 | 2017/ 18 | 2018/ 19 | 2019/ 20 | 2020/ 21 | 2021/ 22 | 2022/ 23 |
| Ranking | | 280 | 189 | 79 | 50 | 46 | 42 | 58 | 76 | 81 | 59 | 58 | | | | 83 | | 69 | | 80 | | 85 | |
| Ranking tournaments ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship League | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | RR | RR | A |
| European Masters | LQ | LQ | LQ | NH | 1R | Not Held | Not Held | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | NR | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | LQ | LQ | 1R | LQ | 1R | LQ | A |
| British Open | LQ | LQ | LQ | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 3R | A |
| Northern Ireland Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A |
| UK Championship | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | 1R | 3R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | WD | A |
| Scottish Open | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | MR | Not Held | Not Held | 1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | A |
| English Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 2R | 1R | 2R | QF | 1R | LQ | A |
| World Grand Prix | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | NR | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ |
| Shoot Out | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking | Non-Ranking | Non-Ranking | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A |
| German Masters | NH | LQ | LQ | 1R | NR | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | A |
| Welsh Open | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | 3R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | A | 2R | 1R | 4R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | A |
| Players Championship | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ |
| Tour Championship | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ |
| World Championship | LQ | LQ | QF | 1R | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | 2R | LQ | LQ | LQ | A | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | A |
| Non-ranking tournaments ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Champion of Champions | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R |
| The Masters | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | A | A | LQ | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| Championship League | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | RR | A | A | A |
| Six-red World Championship | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | A | Not Held | Not Held | A |
| World Seniors Championship | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | LQ | A | A | A | NH | A | 1R | W | 1R |
| Former ranking tournaments ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dubai Classic | LQ | LQ | LQ | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Malta Grand Prix | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | LQ | NR | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Thailand Masters | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | 1R | NR | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | NR | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Irish Masters | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | Non-Ranking Event | LQ | 1R | LQ | NH | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Northern Ireland Trophy | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | NR | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Wuxi Classic | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | LQ | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Australian Goldfields Open | Non-Ranking | Non-Ranking | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | LQ | LQ | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Shanghai Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | LQ | A | LQ | LQ | LQ | 1R | Non-Ranking | Non-Ranking | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| Paul Hunter Classic | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Pro-am Event | Pro-am Event | Pro-am Event | Minor-Ranking | Minor-Ranking | Minor-Ranking | 3R | 1R | QF | NR | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| Indian Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | LQ | NH | LQ | LQ | 1R | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| China Open | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | NR | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | Not Held | Not Held | LQ | LQ | WD | A | LQ | 2R | LQ | 1R | LQ | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
| Riga Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | MR | MR | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| International Championship | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | A | LQ | 2R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| China Championship | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | NR | LQ | LQ | LQ | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| World Open | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | LQ | 3R | 1R | 2R | LQ | A | Not Held | Not Held | 1R | 3R | 1R | LQ | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held |
| WST Pro Series | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | RR | Not Held | Not Held |
| Turkish Masters | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | LQ | NH |
| Gibraltar Open | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | MR | 3R | SF | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | NH |
| Former non-ranking tournaments ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Champions Cup | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held | Tournament Not Held |
Performance Table Legend :
| LQ | lost in the qualifying draw | #R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin) | QF | lost in the quarter-finals |
| SF | lost in the semi-finals | F | lost in the final | W | won the tournament |
| DNQ | did not qualify for the tournament | A | did not participate in the tournament | WD | withdrew from the tournament |
| NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | NH / Not Held | means an event was not held. |
| NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | NR / Non-Ranking Event | means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. |
| R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | R / Ranking Event | means an event is/was a ranking event. |
| MR / Minor-Ranking Event | MR / Minor-Ranking Event | MR / Minor-Ranking Event | MR / Minor-Ranking Event | means an event is/was a minor-ranking event. |
| PA / Pro-am Event | PA / Pro-am Event | PA / Pro-am Event | PA / Pro-am Event | means an event is/was a pro-am event. |
* 1 2 3 New players on the Main Tour don't have a ranking
* 1 2 He was an amateur
* ↑ Players qualified through European Tour Order of Merit started the season without prize money ranking points
* ↑ Players qualified One Year Ranking List started the season without ranking points
* ↑ Players qualified through Q School started the season without ranking points
* ↑ The event was called the European Open (1994/1995–1996/1997 and 2001/2002–2003/2004), the Irish Open (1998/1999) and the Malta Cup (2004/2005–2007/2008)
* ↑ The event was called the International Open (1994/1995–1996/1997) and the Players Championship (2003/2004)
* ↑ The event was called the German Open (1995/1996–1997/1998)
* ↑ The event was called the Players Tour Championship Grand Final (2012/2013 and 2014/2015–2015/2016)
* ↑ The event was called the Thailand Classic (1995/1996) and the Asian Classic (1996/1997)
* ↑ The event was called the Thailand Open (1995/1996–1996/1997)
* ↑ The event was called the Jiangsu Classic (2008/2009–2009/2010)
* ↑ The event was called the Australian Masters (1994/1995-1995/1996)
* ↑ The event was called the Grand Prix Fürth (2004/2005) and the Fürth German Open (2005/2006–2006/2007)
* ↑ The event was called the China International (1997/1998–1998/1999)
* ↑ The event was called the Riga Open (2014/2015–2015/2016)
* ↑ The event was called the Grand Prix (1994/1995–2000/2001 and 2004/2005–2009/2010) and the LG Cup (2001/2002–2003/2004)
* ↑ The event was called the Charity Challenge (1994/1995–1998/1999)

## Career finals
### Non-ranking finals: 2 (1 title)

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1998 | Merseyside Professional Championship | Peter Lines | 4–5 |
| Winner | 1. | 2022 | World Seniors Championship | Jimmy White | 5–4 |

### Pro-am finals: 2 (1 title)

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 2008 | TCC Open Snooker Championship | Mark Williams | 7–5 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 2014 | Pink Ribbon | Peter Lines | 1–4 |

### Amateur finals: 4

| Outcome | No. | Year | Championship | Opponent in the final | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 2006 | PIOS – Event 3 | Leo Fernandez | 5–6 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 2007 | PIOS – Event 4 | Kuldesh Johal | 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 3. | 2011 | IBSF World Snooker Championship | Hossein Vafaei | 9–10 |
| Runner-up | 4. | 2014 | Welsh Amateur Championship | Jamie Clarke | 6–8 |