Shaun Murphy reveals how he’ll spend £365k Masters prize money after winning biggest payday of snooker career
MASTERS champion Shaun Murphy has revealed how he’ll spend his £365,000 prize money – the biggest pay packet of his career.
Murphy hit four magical centuries in a 10-7 final victory over reigning world champion Kyren Wilson in North London.
The Magician earned the biggest payday of his career as he won a first Masters crown for 10 years.
The 42-year-old revealed how he plans to treat himself and splash the cash on those closest to him.
Murphy told SunSport: “Well it’s my other half’s birthday today.
“So she’s had to sacrifice her birthday and put that on standby. We are going out tomorrow.
“I can’t tell you what we’re doing because it’s a surprise, even she doesn’t know yet, but tomorrow will be a good day.”
Twice divorced Murphy’s current partner, Jo, is often seen supporting the Magician at snooker events all around the world.
She was with him all the way for his stunning triumph at Ally Pally on Sunday.
He also landed a £15,000 bonus for the maximum break of 147 in the semi-final against Mark Allen on Sunday.
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He hit four more centuries against Wilson, before the current world champion fought back from a four-frame deficit to trail 8-7.
But Murphy held his nerve and cut an emotional figure as he was presented with the Paul Hunter Trophy for the first time in a decade.
He told SunSport: “When I took up snooker as an eight-year-old boy, I dreamt of moments like this and I’ve been really lucky with the game.
“This will be a day and week that I’ll look back on for the rest of my life.
“Not to only win the event, but to beat the world champion in the final and take the maximum in one of these big events.
“The high break is something I’ve been trying to do for all of my career and I’ve ticked a few boxes this week.
“The crowd are a bit more vociferous here. They’re a bit more vocal than over crowds. The Crucible is almost church-like in comparison.
“It’s just an amazing arena and the crowd have been sensational in all the matches. You need that buzz sometimes. They were my 12th man this week.”
This will be a day and week that I’ll look back on for the rest of my life
Shaun Murphy
And he wasn’t about to let the Paul Hunter trophy get away this time – taking it to bed with him in his hotel room.
Emulating Argentina legend Lionel Messi sleeping with the World Cup, the snooker star snuggled up with the gong in the hours following the win.
Darts sensation Luke Littler also recreated Messi’s iconic Instagram post after the 17-year-old became the youngest-ever world champ on January 3.
Murphy uploaded a snap of him snoozing with the trophy to his 70,000 Instagram followers.
He wrote: “Thank you so much for your kind words and support!
“It’s going to take a while for this one to sink in.”
The Magician hit four centuries and had to be at his brilliant best to stave off a Wilson comeback at Ally Pally.
Murphy said after the match: “I cannot believe this. I’m in shock.
“I thought these days, at the business end of events, had gone for me.
“[My BBC colleague] Peter Ebdon was very strong and made me discover that self-belief. He has reminded me that I used to be quite good at this.
“There’s still life in the old dog yet.”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins