# 2018 Welsh Open (snooker)

The 2018 Welsh Open (officially the 2018 ManBetX Welsh Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament, that took place from 26 February to 4 March 2018 at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. It was the sixteenth ranking event of the 2017/2018 season and a part of the Home Nations Series.
The defending champion Stuart Bingham lost 1–4 to Matthew Stevens in the last 32.
John Higgins won a record fifth Welsh Open title, and his 30th ranking title overall, beating Barry Hawkins 9–7 in the final.

## Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:
The "rolling 147 prize" for a maximum break stood at £20,000

## Main draw
### Qualifying round

Rhydian Richards 4–3 Darren Morgan

### 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 |
| Stuart Bingham (1) | 4 | | | | |
| Chen Zhe | 1 | | | | |
| Chen Zhe | 1 | Stuart Bingham (1) | 4 | | |
| | | Jackson Page | 2 | | |
| Jackson Page | 4 | Jackson Page | 2 | | |
| Sean O'Sullivan | 3 | | | | |
| Sean O'Sullivan | 3 | | | Stuart Bingham (1) | 1 |
| | | | | Matthew Stevens | 4 |
| Scott Donaldson | 4 | | | Matthew Stevens | 4 |
| Fergal O'Brien | 2 | | | | |
| Fergal O'Brien | 2 | Scott Donaldson | 2 | | |
| | | Matthew Stevens | 4 | | |
| Matthew Stevens | 4 | Matthew Stevens | 4 | | |
| Ken Doherty | 1 | | | | | | |
| Ken Doherty | 1 | | | | | Matthew Stevens | 2 |
| | | | | | | Yan Bingtao | 4 |
| Ryan Day (16) | 2 | | | | | Yan Bingtao | 4 |
| Kurt Dunham | 4 | | | | | | |
| Kurt Dunham | 4 | Kurt Dunham | 2 | | | | |
| | | Yan Bingtao | 4 | | | | |
| Jimmy White | 3 | Yan Bingtao | 4 | | | | |
| Yan Bingtao | 4 | | | | | | |
| Yan Bingtao | 4 | | | Yan Bingtao | 4 | | |
| | | | | Peter Ebdon | 1 |
| Wang Yuchen | 1 | | | Peter Ebdon | 1 |
| Peter Ebdon | 4 | | | | |
| Peter Ebdon | 4 | Peter Ebdon | 4 | | |
| | | Anthony Hamilton | 1 | | |
| Anthony Hamilton | 4 | Anthony Hamilton | 1 | | |
| David Gilbert | 3 | | | | |

#### 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 |
| Fang Xiongman | 4 | | | | |
| Yuan Sijun | 3 | | | | |
| Yuan Sijun | 3 | Fang Xiongman | 4 | | |
| | | Chen Zifan | 2 | | |
| Chen Zifan | 4 | Chen Zifan | 2 | | |
| Zhou Yuelong | 1 | | | | |
| Zhou Yuelong | 1 | | | Fang Xiongman | 2 |
| | | | | Barry Hawkins (9) | 4 |
| Rod Lawler | 0 | | | Barry Hawkins (9) | 4 |
| Tom Ford | 4 | | | | |
| Tom Ford | 4 | Tom Ford | 0 | | |
| | | Barry Hawkins (9) | 4 | | |
| Barry Hawkins (9) | 4 | Barry Hawkins (9) | 4 | | |
| Niu Zhuang | 1 | | | | | | |
| Niu Zhuang | 1 | | | | | Barry Hawkins (9) | 4 |
| | | | | | | Martin Gould | 2 |
| Li Yuan | 1 | | | | | Martin Gould | 2 |
| Ricky Walden | 4 | | | | | | |
| Ricky Walden | 4 | Ricky Walden | 3 | | | | |
| | | Martin Gould | 4 | | | | |
| Michael White | 2 | Martin Gould | 4 | | | | |
| Martin Gould | 4 | | | | | | |
| Martin Gould | 4 | | | Martin Gould | 4 | | |
| | | | | Mark Williams (8) | 2 |
| Aditya Mehta | 4 | | | Mark Williams (8) | 2 |
| Martin O'Donnell | 3 | | | | |
| Martin O'Donnell | 3 | Aditya Mehta | 3 | | |
| | | Mark Williams (8) | 4 | | |
| Mark Williams (8) | 4 | Mark Williams (8) | 4 | | |
| Mark King | 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 |
| Ding Junhui (5) | 4 | | | | |
| Hammad Miah | 0 | | | | |
| Hammad Miah | 0 | Ding Junhui (5) | 1 | | |
| | | Liam Highfield | 4 | | |
| Li Hang | w/d | Liam Highfield | 4 | | |
| Liam Highfield | w/o | | | | |
| Liam Highfield | w/o | | | Liam Highfield | 4 |
| | | | | Chris Wakelin | 1 |
| Xiao Guodong | 0 | | | Chris Wakelin | 1 |
| Chris Wakelin | 4 | | | | |
| Chris Wakelin | 4 | Chris Wakelin | 4 | | |
| | | Andrew Higginson | 2 | | |
| Andrew Higginson | 4 | Andrew Higginson | 2 | | |
| Ashley Hugill | 3 | | | | | | |
| Ashley Hugill | 3 | | | | | Liam Highfield | 3 |
| | | | | | | Ian Burns | 4 |
| Neil Robertson (12) | 4 | | | | | Ian Burns | 4 |
| Mark Davis | 1 | | | | | | |
| Mark Davis | 1 | Neil Robertson (12) | 3 | | | | |
| | | Ian Burns | 4 | | | | |
| Jamie Curtis-Barrett | 1 | Ian Burns | 4 | | | | |
| Ian Burns | 4 | | | | | | |
| Ian Burns | 4 | | | Ian Burns | 4 | | |
| | | | | Sunny Akani | 2 |
| Jamie Jones | 4 | | | Sunny Akani | 2 |
| Alexander Ursenbacher | 1 | | | | |
| Alexander Ursenbacher | 1 | Jamie Jones | 1 | | |
| | | Sunny Akani | 4 | | |
| Tian Pengfei | 1 | Sunny Akani | 4 | | |
| Sunny Akani | 4 | | | | |

#### 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 |
| Zhang Yong | 1 | | | | |
| James Wattana | 4 | | | | |
| James Wattana | 4 | James Wattana | 4 | | |
| | | Michael Holt | 2 | | |
| Michael Holt | 4 | Michael Holt | 2 | | |
| Elliot Slessor | 2 | | | | |
| Elliot Slessor | 2 | | | James Wattana | 3 |
| | | | | Kyren Wilson (13) | 4 |
| Rory McLeod | 4 | | | Kyren Wilson (13) | 4 |
| Adam Duffy | 2 | | | | |
| Adam Duffy | 2 | Rory McLeod | 0 | | |
| | | Kyren Wilson (13) | 4 | | |
| Kyren Wilson (13) | 4 | Kyren Wilson (13) | 4 | | |
| Robert Milkins | 1 | | | | | | |
| Robert Milkins | 1 | | | | | Kyren Wilson (13) | 0 |
| | | | | | | Noppon Saengkham | 4 |
| Craig Steadman | 4 | | | | | Noppon Saengkham | 4 |
| David John | 1 | | | | | | |
| David John | 1 | Craig Steadman | 4 | | | | |
| | | Thepchaiya Un-Nooh | 2 | | | | |
| Hossein Vafaei | 2 | Thepchaiya Un-Nooh | 2 | | | | |
| Thepchaiya Un-Nooh | 4 | | | | | | |
| Thepchaiya Un-Nooh | 4 | | | Craig Steadman | 2 | | |
| | | | | Noppon Saengkham | 4 |
| Noppon Saengkham | 4 | | | Noppon Saengkham | 4 |
| Ross Muir | 2 | | | | |
| Ross Muir | 2 | Noppon Saengkham | 4 | | |
| | | Judd Trump (4) | 1 | | |
| Judd Trump (4) | 4 | Judd Trump (4) | 1 | | |
| Duane Jones | 3 | | | | |

### 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 |
| Ronnie O'Sullivan (3) | w/o | | | | |
| Robin Hull | w/d | | | | |
| Robin Hull | w/d | Ronnie O'Sullivan (3) | 4 | | |
| | | Graeme Dott | 0 | | |
| Sanderson Lam | 0 | Graeme Dott | 0 | | |
| Graeme Dott | 4 | | | | |
| Graeme Dott | 4 | | | Ronnie O'Sullivan (3) | 4 |
| | | | | David Grace | 0 |
| David Grace | 4 | | | David Grace | 0 |
| Rhydian Richards | 3 | | | | |
| Rhydian Richards | 3 | David Grace | 4 | | |
| | | Jak Jones | 0 | | |
| Mei Xiwen | 3 | Jak Jones | 0 | | |
| Jak Jones | 4 | | | | | | |
| Jak Jones | 4 | | | | | Ronnie O'Sullivan (3) | 4 |
| | | | | | | Mike Dunn | 0 |
| Luca Brecel (14) | 4 | | | | | Mike Dunn | 0 |
| Josh Boileau | 2 | | | | | | |
| Josh Boileau | 2 | Luca Brecel (14) | 1 | | | | |
| | | Mike Dunn | 4 | | | | |
| Hamza Akbar | 0 | Mike Dunn | 4 | | | | |
| Mike Dunn | 4 | | | | | | |
| Mike Dunn | 4 | | | Mike Dunn | 4 | | |
| | | | | Xu Si | 2 |
| Alan McManus | 0 | | | Xu Si | 2 |
| Xu Si | 4 | | | | |
| Xu Si | 4 | Xu Si | 4 | | |
| | | Michael Georgiou | 2 | | |
| Mitchell Mann | 0 | Michael Georgiou | 2 | | |
| Michael Georgiou | 4 | | | | |

#### 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 |
| Paul Davison | 2 | | | | |
| Lyu Haotian | 4 | | | | |
| Lyu Haotian | 4 | Lyu Haotian | 2 | | |
| | | Jack Lisowski | 4 | | |
| Jack Lisowski | 4 | Jack Lisowski | 4 | | |
| Mark Joyce | 3 | | | | |
| Mark Joyce | 3 | | | Jack Lisowski | 3 |
| | | | | Nigel Bond | 4 |
| Nigel Bond | 4 | | | Nigel Bond | 4 |
| Lukas Kleckers | 2 | | | | |
| Lukas Kleckers | 2 | Nigel Bond | 4 | | |
| | | Ali Carter (11) | 3 | | |
| Ali Carter (11) | 4 | Ali Carter (11) | 3 | | |
| Rhys Clark | 0 | | | | | | |
| Rhys Clark | 0 | | | | | Nigel Bond | 0 |
| | | | | | | John Higgins (6) | 4 |
| Sam Craigie | 4 | | | | | John Higgins (6) | 4 |
| Leo Fernandez | 0 | | | | | | |
| Leo Fernandez | 0 | Sam Craigie | 4 | | | | |
| | | Kurt Maflin | 1 | | | | |
| Jimmy Robertson | 0 | Kurt Maflin | 1 | | | | |
| Kurt Maflin | 4 | | | | | | |
| Kurt Maflin | 4 | | | Sam Craigie | 0 | | |
| | | | | John Higgins (6) | 4 |
| Joe Perry | 2 | | | John Higgins (6) | 4 |
| Stephen Maguire | 4 | | | | |
| Stephen Maguire | 4 | Stephen Maguire | 1 | | |
| | | John Higgins (6) | 4 | | |
| John Higgins (6) | 4 | John Higgins (6) | 4 | | |
| Matthew Selt | 2 | | | | |

#### 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 |
| Shaun Murphy (7) | 0 | | | | |
| Gerard Greene | 4 | | | | |
| Gerard Greene | 4 | Gerard Greene | 4 | | |
| | | Stuart Carrington | 3 | | |
| Stuart Carrington | 4 | Stuart Carrington | 3 | | |
| Peter Lines | 3 | | | | |
| Peter Lines | 3 | | | Gerard Greene | 3 |
| | | | | John Astley | 4 |
| Dominic Dale | 4 | | | John Astley | 4 |
| Chris Totten | 0 | | | | |
| Chris Totten | 0 | Dominic Dale | 2 | | |
| | | John Astley | 4 | | |
| John Astley | 4 | John Astley | 4 | | |
| Zhang Anda | 2 | | | | | | |
| Zhang Anda | 2 | | | | | John Astley | 2 |
| | | | | | | Gary Wilson | 4 |
| Mark Allen (10) | 4 | | | | | Gary Wilson | 4 |
| Cao Yupeng | 2 | | | | | | |
| Cao Yupeng | 2 | Mark Allen (10) | 4 | | | | |
| | | Soheil Vahedi | 1 | | | | |
| Alex Borg | 0 | Soheil Vahedi | 1 | | | | |
| Soheil Vahedi | 4 | | | | | | |
| Soheil Vahedi | 4 | | | Mark Allen (10) | 3 | | |
| | | | | Gary Wilson | 4 |
| Gary Wilson | 4 | | | Gary Wilson | 4 |
| Sam Baird | 1 | | | | |
| Sam Baird | 1 | Gary Wilson | 4 | | |
| | | Daniel Wells | 3 | | |
| Daniel Wells | 4 | Daniel Wells | 3 | | |
| Lee Walker | 1 | | | | |

#### 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 |
| Oliver Lines | 4 | | | | |
| Eden Sharav | 3 | | | | |
| Eden Sharav | 3 | Oliver Lines | 2 | | |
| | | Yu Delu | 4 | | |
| Yu Delu | 4 | Yu Delu | 4 | | |
| Billy Joe Castle | 2 | | | | |
| Billy Joe Castle | 2 | | | Yu Delu | 4 |
| | | | | Ben Woollaston | 0 |
| Thor Chuan Leong | 3 | | | Ben Woollaston | 0 |
| Ben Woollaston | 4 | | | | |
| Ben Woollaston | 4 | Ben Woollaston | 4 | | |
| | | Anthony McGill (15) | 3 | | |
| Anthony McGill (15) | 4 | Anthony McGill (15) | 3 | | |
| Basem Eltahhan | 1 | | | | | | |
| Basem Eltahhan | 1 | | | | | Yu Delu | 4 |
| | | | | | | Liang Wenbo | 1 |
| Robbie Williams | 4 | | | | | Liang Wenbo | 1 |
| Allan Taylor | 0 | | | | | | |
| Allan Taylor | 0 | Robbie Williams | 4 | | | | |
| | | Ian Preece | 0 | | | | |
| Ian Preece | 4 | Ian Preece | 0 | | | | |
| Zhao Xintong | 2 | | | | | | |
| Zhao Xintong | 2 | | | Robbie Williams | 3 | | |
| | | | | Liang Wenbo | 4 |
| Alfie Burden | 3 | | | Liang Wenbo | 4 |
| Liang Wenbo | 4 | | | | |
| Liang Wenbo | 4 | Liang Wenbo | 4 | | |
| | | Mark Selby (2) | 3 | | |
| Christopher Keogan | 2 | Mark Selby (2) | 3 | | |
| Mark Selby (2) | 4 | | | | |

### 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 |
| Yan Bingtao | 1 | | |
| Barry Hawkins (9) | 5 | | |
| Barry Hawkins (9) | 5 | Barry Hawkins (9) | 6 |
| | | Noppon Saengkham | 4 |
| Ian Burns | 3 | Noppon Saengkham | 4 |
| Noppon Saengkham | 5 | | | | |
| Noppon Saengkham | 5 | | | Barry Hawkins (9) | 7 |
| | | | | John Higgins (6) | 9 |
| Ronnie O'Sullivan (3) | 1 | | | John Higgins (6) | 9 |
| John Higgins (6) | 5 | | | | |
| John Higgins (6) | 5 | John Higgins (6) | 6 | | |
| | | Gary Wilson | 2 |
| Gary Wilson | 5 | Gary Wilson | 2 |
| Yu Delu | 2 | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Terry Camilleri. Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, 4 March 2018. :
| Barry Hawkins (9) England | 7–9 | John Higgins (6) Scotland |
| Afternoon: 66–55, 0–138 (138), 70–68, 0–141 (141), 66–16, 131–0 (130), 14–83, 15–73 Evening: 1–56, 44–59, 125–6 (103), 142–0 (138), 44–70, 55–65, 82–0, 0–72 |||
| 138 | Highest break | 141 |
| 3 | Century breaks | 2 |

## Century breaks

Total: 66
* 144, 141, 138, 136, 115, 113, 107, 106, 101, 100 – John Higgins
* 143, 100 – Mark Selby
* 141, 138, 137, 130, 103 – Barry Hawkins
* 141, 110 – Martin Gould
* 140, 124, 105, 101 – Gary Wilson
* 139, 120, 102 – Noppon Saengkham
* 136, 105, 100, 100 – Kyren Wilson
* 134, 129, 106 – Mark Williams
* 133, 117, 106, 100 – Ronnie O'Sullivan
* 131, 106 – Ian Burns
* 131, 101 – Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
* 130, 100, 100 – Neil Robertson
* 129, 115 – Elliot Slessor
* 129 – Ben Woollaston
* 124 – Cao Yupeng
* 119, 116 – Mark Allen
* 118 – Zhang Anda
* 118 – Stuart Bingham
* 115 – Liam Highfield
* 114, 104, 104, 103 – Jack Lisowski
* 111, 108 – Sunny Akani
* 111 – Robbie Williams
* 110 – Yan Bingtao
* 107 – Ryan Day
* 104 – Mark King
* 103 – Kurt Dunham
* 102 – Gerard Greene
* 102 – Stephen Maguire