Barry Hawkins hits snooker break that's even rarer than 147 during World Open

Barry Hawkins has hit a snooker break that is very rarely seen during the World Open tournament in China.

'The Hawk' is currently aiming for a strong end to the season as he looks to seal automatic qualification for the World Championship as a top 16 player.

Hawkins, who is currently ranked as world number 18, has to reach the final of the tournament in order to bounce back into that elusive top 16 spot, which is based on prize money earned across the 2023/24 season.

The Kent-born cueist, who won the European Masters ranking event in August, is now just three wins away from achieving his aim after reaching the last 16 in China.

He did so by beating Robbie Williams 5-2 in the round of 32 stage - and achieved something quite special in the process.

Hawkins compiled a 146 break in the match by potting 15 reds, 14 blacks and a single pink.

Despite being one fewer than a 147, the break has actually been achieved on far fewer occasions than snooker's maximum.

As per CueTracker, only 24 players have ever hit a 146 break in the history of snooker, which dates back to the 1920s.

Hawkins has now joined a small club of just five players to have done it twice, with Mark Allen crowned as snooker's 'unluckiest player' in this regard with five career 146 breaks.

Ronnie O'Sullivan trails behind him on three, with one of The Rocket's breaks actually being done on purpose due to a dispute over maximum break prizes.

In 2016, O'Sullivan took on Barry Pinches in a match at the Welsh Open, when he found himself with a possible chance of getting a 147.

He then stopped and is said to have asked the referee what the prize money for scoring a maximum break was.

O'Sullivan wasn't happy to hear the prize money was only £10,000, and potted a pink after 14 blacks before laughing.

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The then-World Snooker Tour president Barry Hearn took to social media after the incident to say: "Most people don't understand £10k not meaning anything.

"Fact is we have a lot of 147 breaks and the prize money reflects that. It's a shame that punters who buy tickets and TV fans who watch did not have the pleasure of seeing a maximum break."

Players who qualify for the Riyadh Snooker Masters now know they can net a staggering £1 million in prize money just for hitting a maximum break and potting the 'Golden Ball' - double the amount that the winner of the entire World Championship earns.

You can watch the Snooker World Open by subscribing to discovery+ for £6.99/month via Amazon.