Snooker Shoot Out: Mark Williams and Stan Moody progress as Shaun Murphy draws Dominic Dale after historic 147

Updated 07/12/2023 at 23:21 GMT

Mark Williams was a popular winner in Swansea as he overcame Matthew Selt in the Snooker Shoot Out first round. It was a historic day as Shaun Murphy produced the rapid-fire format's first 147 maximum break to send Hungary's Bulcsu Revesz home, and teenage sensation Stan Moody also progressed. Stream the 2023 Snooker Shoot Out and more top snooker action live and on-demand on discovery+.

'That was great fun' - Murphy ecstatic after 147 break at Shoot Out

Mark Williams helped to light up Thursday's evening session of the Snooker Shoot Out after Shaun Murphy produced the first 147 maximum break in the format's history.

The local favourite saw off Matthew Selt in a dominant display to seal his place in the second round where he will face Hammad Miah.

It comes after teenager Stan Moody showed off his swagger by emulating Jude Bellingham's celebration after his win over Rory McLeod. But it was Murphy who stole the show with his magical maximum to send another rising star Bulcsu Revesz packing on Thursday, and he'll play Dominic Dale next.

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World junior champion Moody revelled in the spotlight at the Swansea Arena as he turned to the crowd and held his arms aloft in the style Real Madrid star Bellingham has made his trademark after a 43-14 win over McLeod, 35 years his senior.

Moody, whose reward is a match against Ian Burns, first played at the Shoot Out two years ago as a 15-year-old, when he reached the second round, but said he now feels a weight of expectation after turning professional earlier this year.

“When I played in this two years ago I was less nervous, probably because when you’re young you don’t feel as much pressure," said the 17-year-old. "There is expectation on me now to win, whereas before I was just this kid who had a wild card. It’s different now I’m a pro. But it was great out there and the crowd was on my side which helps. This is one of the best arenas I have played in.”

Moody does Bellingham celebration after Shoot Out win

Revesz is also rated as a star of the future, but headed back to Hungary having played just one shot in south Wales as Murphy produced a magical maximum.

Snooker's rapid-fire format has previously proven too hard a task to register the sport's toughest challenge with just 15 seconds per shot for the first five minutes and 10 seconds for the final five of the 10-minute matches.

Murphy made it look easy, even allowing himself to ask the crowd if anyone was "getting nervous" halfway through his record break, before clearing the table with over two minutes to spare.

"I love the event - and I said I wanted to try to make a century. It's a great thrill, but I can't believe what's just happened," said Murphy after surpassing Mark Allen's 142 as the previous record for the competition's highest break.

'Phenomenal achievement' - Murphy makes first maximum 147 break at Shoot Out

Moody was not the only teenager to shine as 16-year-old Scot Jack Borwick beat Adam Duffy 33-15 to make it into round two.

The in-form Zhang Anda survived a scare against Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif before scrapping through 57-50. The International Championship winner trailed 41-6 but produced a cool break under pressure with the clock winding down to progress.

Last year’s finalist Julien Leclercq cruised into the second round with a 74-0 rout of Andrew Higginson.

World championship semi-finalist Si Jiahui fought back from 37-0 down to beat Liam Highfield 87-37.

Jamie O’Neill, who was a late replacement for the ill Hossein Vafaei, ended the hopes of Welsh youngster Riley Powell who fell to a 65-9 loss. O’Neill, who admitted before the game he did not think he had picked up his cue since May, had a strong early break and was able to close out the game with Powell unable to get any real footing in the match.

Oliver Lines, son of fellow professional Peter, triumphed 69-22 over Ma Hailong.

Welshmen Dylan Emery and Ryan Day gave the home crowd something to cheer.

Day saw off Anton Kazakov 25-5, while Emery was a 46-31 winner over China's Wu Yize.

English trio Jimmy Robertson, Sanderson Lam and Steven Hallworth are all into round two, while Tian Pengfei beat Alex Taubman 56-35.

Evening session

Williams was a popular winner even if he was not at his best in a comfortable victory over Selt.

The three-time world champion cut a frustrated figure as his break ended at 35. Selt could not take advantage, however, and Williams finished the job by potting to the final red to seal his place in the next round.

Robert Milkins avoided a shock defeat to world No. 120 Liam Graham.

The Milkman was first in with a break of 33 but almost saw his lead wiped out only for Graham to suffer some cruel misfortune when a red followed the brown into the pocket for a foul.

With less than a minute remaining, Milkins was relieved to have secured victory.

Long Zehuang overcame beaten International Championship finalist Tom Ford to progress.

The world No. 103 benefitted from a fortuitous cannon on a red before proceeding to take the lead with just two minutes left on the clock and completed the job.

Twelve-time women’s world champion Reanne Evans crashed out to David Lilley, who produced a fine break of 92, and although Evans made a rapid 28 in response, the Eurosport expert’s fate had already been sealed.

Welsh Open 2021 champion Jordan Brown needed an element of fortune to get the better of Gary Wilson. After a fluke on a long red, the Northern Irishman levelled at 29-29 with just 15 seconds remaining and won it dramatically with a red to the bottom left.

An error by Jak Jones proved costly in defeat to Ashley Carty as the Welshman mis-hit a long red, inadvertently potting the black, and his opponent pounced with a decisive break of 30.

Home favourite Jamie Clarke, who reached the last 16 of the UK Championship, shaded an exciting match against Andres Petrov.

The match swung the Welshman’s way when Petrov missed a routine blue and with less than a minute left, Clarke took control.

Anthony Hamilton produced a business-like display to beat Mink Nutcharut, while there were also standout victories for Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, Robbie Williams and Alfie Burden.