Triple Crown (snooker)

The Triple Crown is a collective term used for the three most prestigious snooker tournaments: the World Championship, the UK Championship and the Masters.[1] These tournaments are sometimes also called snooker's major tournaments,[1][2] the big three BBC events,[3][4] or simply as the big three.[5][6] There are ten players who have won all Triple Crown events at least once: Steve Davis, Terry Griffiths, Alex Higgins, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Williams, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy.[7][8] Only Davis, Hendry and Williams have won all three Triple Crown events in a single season, and Hendry is the only player to achieve this feat twice, in the 1989/1990 and 1995/1996 seasons.[9][10] In 2013 Robertson became the first player from outside the British Isles to have won all three events.[11]

Triple Crown title winners

A list of all winners of the three Triple Crown events is shown below by season since 1968/1969.

SeasonUK Championship[12][13]The Masters[14][15]World Championship[16][17]Ref
1968/1969 started in 1977/1978 started in 1974/1975 England John Spencer (1/4)
1969/1970 Wales Ray Reardon (1/7)
1970/1971 England John Spencer (2/4)
1971/1972 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (1/5)
1972/1973 Wales Ray Reardon (2/7)
1973/1974 Wales Ray Reardon (3/7)
1974/1975 England John Spencer (3/4)Wales Ray Reardon (4/7)
1975/1976 Wales Ray Reardon (5/7) Wales Ray Reardon (6/7)
1976/1977 Wales Doug Mountjoy (1/3)England John Spencer (4/4)
1977/1978 Republic of Ireland Patsy FaganNorthern Ireland Alex Higgins (2/5)Wales Ray Reardon (7/7)
1978/1979 Wales Doug Mountjoy (2/3)South Africa Perrie MansWales Terry Griffiths (1/3)
1979/1980 England John VirgoWales Terry Griffiths (2/3)Canada Cliff Thorburn (1/4)
1980/1981 England Steve Davis (1/15)Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (3/5) England Steve Davis (2/15)
1981/1982 England Steve Davis (3/15) England Steve Davis (4/15)Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (4/5)
1982/1983 Wales Terry Griffiths (3/3)Canada Cliff Thorburn (2/4)England Steve Davis (5/15)
1983/1984 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (5/5)England Jimmy White (1/2)England Steve Davis (6/15)
1984/1985 England Steve Davis (7/15)Canada Cliff Thorburn (3/4)Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (1/2)
1985/1986 England Steve Davis (8/15)Canada Cliff Thorburn (4/4)England Joe Johnson
1986/1987 England Steve Davis (9/15)Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (2/2) England Steve Davis (10/15)
1987/1988 England Steve Davis (11/15)England Steve Davis (12/15)England Steve Davis (13/15)
1988/1989 Wales Doug Mountjoy (3/3)Scotland Stephen Hendry (1/18)England Steve Davis (14/15)
1989/1990 Scotland Stephen Hendry (2/18)Scotland Stephen Hendry (3/18)Scotland Stephen Hendry (4/18)
1990/1991 Scotland Stephen Hendry (5/18) Scotland Stephen Hendry (6/18)England John Parrott (1/2)
1991/1992 England John Parrott (2/2) Scotland Stephen Hendry (7/18) Scotland Stephen Hendry (8/18)
1992/1993 England Jimmy White (2/2) Scotland Stephen Hendry (9/18) Scotland Stephen Hendry (10/18)
1993/1994 England Ronnie O'Sullivan (1/16)Scotland Alan McManusScotland Stephen Hendry (11/18)
1994/1995 Scotland Stephen Hendry (12/18)England Ronnie O'Sullivan (2/16) Scotland Stephen Hendry (13/18)
1995/1996 Scotland Stephen Hendry (14/18)Scotland Stephen Hendry (15/18)Scotland Stephen Hendry (16/18)
1996/1997 Scotland Stephen Hendry (17/18)England Steve Davis (15/15)Republic of Ireland Ken Doherty
1997/1998 England Ronnie O'Sullivan (3/16)Wales Mark Williams (1/6)Scotland John Higgins (1/9)
1998/1999 Scotland John Higgins (2/9) Scotland John Higgins (3/9)Scotland Stephen Hendry (18/18)
1999/2000 Wales Mark Williams (2/6)Wales Matthew Stevens (1/2) Wales Mark Williams (3/6)
2000/2001 Scotland John Higgins (4/9)England Paul Hunter (1/3)England Ronnie O'Sullivan (4/16)
2001/2002 England Ronnie O'Sullivan (5/16)England Paul Hunter (2/3)England Peter Ebdon (1/2)
2002/2003 Wales Mark Williams (4/6)Wales Mark Williams (5/6)Wales Mark Williams (6/6)
2003/2004 Wales Matthew Stevens (2/2)England Paul Hunter (3/3)England Ronnie O'Sullivan (6/16)
2004/2005 Scotland Stephen MaguireEngland Ronnie O'Sullivan (7/16)England Shaun Murphy (1/3)
2005/2006 China Ding Junhui (1/3) Scotland John Higgins (5/9)Scotland Graeme Dott
2006/2007 England Peter Ebdon (2/2)England Ronnie O'Sullivan (8/16)Scotland John Higgins (6/9)
2007/2008 England Ronnie O'Sullivan (9/16)England Mark Selby (1/7) England Ronnie O'Sullivan (10/16)
2008/2009 England Shaun Murphy (2/3) England Ronnie O'Sullivan (11/16) Scotland John Higgins (7/9)
2009/2010 China Ding Junhui (2/3)England Mark Selby (2/7) Australia Neil Robertson (1/4)
2010/2011 Scotland John Higgins (8/9) China Ding Junhui (3/3) Scotland John Higgins (9/9)
2011/2012 England Judd Trump Australia Neil Robertson (2/4) England Ronnie O'Sullivan (12/16) [18][19][20]
2012/2013 England Mark Selby (3/7) England Mark Selby (4/7) England Ronnie O'Sullivan (13/16) [21][22][23]
2013/2014 Australia Neil Robertson (3/4) England Ronnie O'Sullivan (14/16) England Mark Selby (5/7) [24][25][26]
2014/2015 England Ronnie O'Sullivan (15/16) England Shaun Murphy (3/3) England Stuart Bingham [27][28][29]
2015/2016 Australia Neil Robertson (4/4) England Ronnie O'Sullivan (16/16) England Mark Selby (6/7) [30][31][32]
2016/2017 England Mark Selby (7/7) [33]
Legend
Player won all 3 Triple Crown tournaments in the same season
Player won 2 Triple Crown tournaments in the same season

Multiple Triple Crown tournament winners

Nation Name Total World Championship UK Championship Masters Winning span
 Scotland Hendry, StephenStephen Hendry 187561989–1999
 England O'Sullivan, RonnieRonnie O'Sullivan 165561993–2016
 England Davis, SteveSteve Davis 156631980–1997
 Scotland Higgins, JohnJohn Higgins 94321998–2011
 Wales Reardon, RayRay Reardon 76011970–1978
 England Selby, MarkMark Selby 72232008–2016
 Wales Williams, MarkMark Williams 62221998–2003
 Northern Ireland Higgins, AlexAlex Higgins 52121972–1983
 England Spencer, JohnJohn Spencer 43011969–1977
 Australia Robertson, NeilNeil Robertson 41212010–2015
 Canada Thorburn, CliffCliff Thorburn 41031980–1986
 Wales Griffiths, TerryTerry Griffiths 31111979–1982
 England Murphy, ShaunShaun Murphy 31112005–2015
 Wales Mountjoy, DougDoug Mountjoy 30211977–1988
 China Ding Junhui 30212005–2011
 England Hunter, PaulPaul Hunter 30032001–2004
 England Parrott, JohnJohn Parrott 21101991–1991
 England Ebdon, PeterPeter Ebdon 21102002–2006
 Northern Ireland Taylor, DennisDennis Taylor 21011985–1987
 England White, JimmyJimmy White 20111984–1992
 Wales Stevens, MatthewMatthew Stevens 20112000–2003
Legend
Players have won all Triple Crown events at least once.
Players have won two Triple Crown events at least once and are active.

Champions by country

Country Players Total First title Last title
 England 13 58 1969 2016
 Scotland 5 30 1989 2011
 Wales 5 21 1970 2003
 Northern Ireland 2 7 1972 1987
 Canada 1 4 1980 1986
 Australia 1 4 2010 2015
 China 1 3 2005 2011
 Republic of Ireland 2 2 1977 1997
 South Africa 1 1 1979 1979

References

  1. 1 2 "Mark Selby eyes snooker's Triple Crown after Masters win". BBC Sport. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  2. "World Snooker Championship: Mark Selby plays down 'Triple' bid" (19 April 2013). BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  3. "Selby Keeps Triple Crown Dream Alive". worlsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  4. "Hat-trick seeking Selby setting sights on claiming world crown at Crucible". Yorkshire Post. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  5. Foulds, Neal. "UK Championship: Neil Robertson tipped for win in York by Neal Foulds". Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  6. Head, Simon (10 January 2013). "Murphy's law: Shaun Murphy wants Masters title to complete triple crown". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  7. "Neil Robertson fights back against Mark Selby to win UK Championship". theguardian.com. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  8. "World Snooker final: Mark Selby beats Ronnie O'Sullivan 18-14". BBC Sport. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  9. Dee, John (6 May 2003). "Snooker: Williams clinches thriller". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  10. Curtis, John (6 May 2003). "Article: Snooker: Williams makes it a triple crown". The News Letter (archived on HighBeam Research). Retrieved 19 January 2011.(subscription required)
  11. "Neil Robertson fights back to take UK Championship crown". RTÉ.ie. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  12. Turner, Chris. "UK Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archvie. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  13. "Hall of Fame (UK Championship)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  14. Turner, Chris. "The Masters". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  15. "Hall of Fame (Masters)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  16. Turner, Chris. "World Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  17. "Hall of Fame (World Championship)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  18. "williamhill.com UK Championship (2011)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  19. "BGC Masters (2012)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  20. "Betfred.com World Championship (2012)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  21. "williamhill.com UK Championship (2012)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  22. "Betfair Masters (2013)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  23. "Betfair World Championship (2013)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  24. "williamhill.com UK Championship (2013)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  25. "Dafabet Masters (2014)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  26. "Dafabet World Championship (2014)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  27. "Coral UK Championship (2014)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  28. "Dafabet Masters (2015)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  29. "World Championship (2015)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  30. "Betway UK Championship (2015)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  31. "Dafabet Masters (2016)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  32. "Betfred World Championship (2016)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  33. "Betway UK Championship (2016)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
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