In The Money

The 2015 Betway UK Championship is the season’s biggest ranking event so far in terms of prize money and so far there are at least three players who are now guaranteed to take home a career-best single prize cheque this week.

Two of them are still in the tournament at the time of writing, with David Grace and Matt Selt already assured of earning at least £20,000 thanks to their quarter-final runs.

Grace’s previous best single prize came earlier this season at the Shanghai Masters when he took home £8,000 following his run to the last 16. Selt meanwhile claimed his previous best of £12,500 with his quarter-final run at the Players Championship back in March.

Although he lost out at the last 64 stage in York, Sydney Wilson also takes home a career-best single prize of £4,000 following his opening day victory against world number 16 Michael White. In fact he had earned just £750 in total this season up to this tournament and so will now be rewarded with a rise of 22 places in the rankings.

Of the eight players still remaining in the tournament, four might yet join the three above in securing the biggest cheque of their professional careers so far. Liang Wenbo would have to reach the semi-finals to eclipse the £28,000 that he won by making it to the final of the 2009 Shanghai Masters, while another win would take him past his share of the winner’s prize from taking home the World Cup with Ding Junhui in 2011.

A final run from Martin Gould would see him exceed his £32,000 winner’s prize from the 2013 Shoot Out, while both Joe Swail and Marco Fu would need to win the title to top their previous totals from the 2001 World Championship and 2007 Grand Prix respectively.

The action continues with all four York quarter-finals on Friday.