The 2016 Championship League was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament that was played from 4 January to 3 March 2016 at the Crondon Park Golf Club in Stock, England.
Stuart Bingham was the defending champion, but he was eliminated at the league stage of group seven. Judd Trump clinched his third Championship League title after a 3âÂÂ2 win over Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final. Mark Williams took the largest share of the prize money thanks to a lucrative campaign through 4 groups before qualifying for the winners' group.
Fergal O'Brien made the 118th official maximum break during his league stage match against Mark Davis in group six. This was O'Brien's first official 147 break and the fourth in the 2015/2016 season. O'Brien also became the oldest player to make an official 147, at the age of 43. His record was surpassed in the following year's edition of the Championship League, when Mark Davis became the oldest player to score a maximum break, at the age of 44. Davis even scored two 147s in that year's Championship League.
Prize fund
The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below. The maximum possible prize money, if the full five frames are played in each game, is ã205,000.
- Group 1âÂÂ7
- Winner: ã3,000
- Runner-up: ã2,000
- Semi-final: ã1,000
- Frame-win (league stage): ã100
- Frame-win (play-offs): ã300
- Highest break: ã500
- Winners' group
- Winner: ã10,000
- Runner-up: ã5,000
- Semi-final: ã3,000
- Frame-win (league stage): ã200
- Frame-win (play-offs): ã300
- Highest break: ã1,000
- Tournament total: ã179,700
Group one
Group one was played on 4 and 5 January 2016. Ronnie O'Sullivan was the first player to qualify for the winners group.
Matches
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ2 Mark Williams
- John Higgins 0âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- Ricky Walden 0âÂÂ3 Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Robert Milkins 3âÂÂ2 Ryan Day
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ1 John Higgins
- Barry Hawkins 2âÂÂ3 Robert Milkins
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ2 John Higgins
- Ryan Day 2âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ2 Barry Hawkins
- Robert Milkins 1âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Ryan Day 2âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ1 Ricky Walden
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ2 Ryan Day
- Mark Williams 1âÂÂ3 Robert Milkins
- John Higgins 0âÂÂ3 Ryan Day
- Barry Hawkins 1âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ1 Robert Milkins
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ1 Ricky Walden
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ2 Robert Milkins
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ1 Ryan Day
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ1 Barry Hawkins
Table
Play-offs
Group two
Group two was played on 6 and 7 January 2016. The group was won by Judd Trump.
Matches
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ2 Judd Trump
- Joe Perry 2âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- Ricky Walden 0âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ1 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 1âÂÂ3 Joe Perry
- Barry Hawkins 1âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ1 Joe Perry
- Robert Milkins 1âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ0 Barry Hawkins
- Mark Williams 2âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Robert Milkins 3âÂÂ1 Barry Hawkins
- Joe Perry 3âÂÂ1 Ricky Walden
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ1 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ2 Mark Williams
- Joe Perry 3âÂÂ2 Robert Milkins
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ0 Ricky Walden
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ2 Mark Williams
- Judd Trump 0âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Joe Perry 1âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Robert Milkins
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ0 Barry Hawkins
Table
Play-offs
Group three
Group three was played on 25 and 26 January 2016. The group was won by Stephen Maguire.
Matches
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ1 Marco Fu
- Michael White 0âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Mark Selby 1âÂÂ3 Stephen Maguire
- Joe Perry 3âÂÂ2 Mark Williams
- Marco Fu 0âÂÂ3 Michael White
- Ricky Walden 3âÂÂ2 Joe Perry
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ2 Michael White
- Mark Williams 0âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Marco Fu 3âÂÂ0 Ricky Walden
- Joe Perry 0âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Mark Williams 2âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Michael White 3âÂÂ2 Mark Selby
- Stephen Maguire 2âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Marco Fu 0âÂÂ3 Joe Perry
- Michael White 3âÂÂ2 Mark Williams
- Ricky Walden 1âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ2 Joe Perry
- Marco Fu 1âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Michael White 3âÂÂ0 Joe Perry
- Marco Fu 1âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ1 Ricky Walden
Table
Play-offs
Group four
Group four was played on 27 and 28 January 2016. The group was won by Mark Williams.
Matches
- Neil Robertson 3âÂÂ0 Ben Woollaston
- Graeme Dott 1âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Ricky Walden 1âÂÂ3 Neil Robertson
- Michael White 2âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Ben Woollaston 3âÂÂ0 Graeme Dott
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ0 Michael White
- Neil Robertson 2âÂÂ3 Graeme Dott
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ0 Ricky Walden
- Ben Woollaston 1âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Michael White 0âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Mark Selby 2âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Graeme Dott 3âÂÂ2 Ricky Walden
- Neil Robertson 1âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Ben Woollaston 1âÂÂ3 Michael White
- Graeme Dott 3âÂÂ2 Mark Selby
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ2 Ricky Walden
- Neil Robertson 3âÂÂ1 Michael White
- Ben Woollaston 1âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Graeme Dott 1âÂÂ3 Michael White
- Ben Woollaston 0âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Neil Robertson 3âÂÂ2 Mark Williams
Table
Play-offs
Group five
Group five was played on 22 and 23 February 2016. Neil Robertson withdrew and was replaced by Michael Holt. The group was won by Mark Selby.
Matches
- David Gilbert 2âÂÂ3 Mark Davis
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Ricky Walden
- Graeme Dott 3âÂÂ1 David Gilbert
- Michael Holt 0âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Mark Davis 3âÂÂ1 Kyren Wilson
- Ricky Walden 2âÂÂ3 Michael Holt
- David Gilbert 1âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ0 Graeme Dott
- Mark Davis 0âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Michael Holt 3âÂÂ0 Graeme Dott
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ1 Ricky Walden
- Kyren Wilson 1âÂÂ3 Graeme Dott
- David Gilbert 1âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Mark Davis 3âÂÂ1 Michael Holt
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ1 Mark Selby
- Ricky Walden 2âÂÂ3 Graeme Dott
- David Gilbert 2âÂÂ3 Michael Holt
- Mark Davis 3âÂÂ1 Graeme Dott
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ1 Michael Holt
- Mark Davis 1âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- David Gilbert 3âÂÂ0 Ricky Walden
Table
Play-offs
Group six
Group six was played on 24 and 25 February 2016. Graeme Dott withdrew and was replaced by Dominic Dale. The group was won by Ali Carter.
Matches
- Mark Davis 2âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Fergal O'Brien 3âÂÂ2 Martin Gould
- Allister Carter 3âÂÂ1 Dominic Dale
- Michael Holt 2âÂÂ3 Fergal O'Brien
- Martin Gould 1âÂÂ3 Allister Carter
- Dominic Dale 2âÂÂ3 Mark Davis
- Kyren Wilson 2âÂÂ3 Michael Holt
- Fergal O'Brien 2âÂÂ3 Allister Carter
- Martin Gould 1âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Mark Davis 3âÂÂ1 Michael Holt
- Michael Holt 3âÂÂ2 Allister Carter
- Kyren Wilson 2âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Fergal O'Brien 1âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ2 Mark Davis
- Allister Carter 3âÂÂ0 Kyren Wilson
- Dominic Dale 3âÂÂ2 Michael Holt
- Michael Holt 3âÂÂ1 Martin Gould
- Fergal O'Brien 1âÂÂ3 Mark Davis
- Fergal O'Brien 0âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ2 Kyren Wilson
- Allister Carter 3âÂÂ0 Mark Davis
Table
Play-offs
Group seven
Group seven was played on 29 February and 1 March 2016. Matthew Selt won the group to take the final spot in the winners' group.
Matches
- Matthew Selt 3âÂÂ0 Liang Wenbo
- Stuart Bingham 1âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Mark Davis 2âÂÂ3 Matthew Selt
- Michael Holt 2âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ2 Stuart Bingham
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Michael Holt
- Dominic Dale 1âÂÂ3 Mark Davis
- Matthew Selt 2âÂÂ3 Stuart Bingham
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ1 Kyren Wilson
- Michael Holt 2âÂÂ3 Mark Davis
- Dominic Dale 1âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Stuart Bingham 0âÂÂ3 Mark Davis
- Matthew Selt 0âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ2 Michael Holt
- Stuart Bingham 3âÂÂ1 Dominic Dale
- Kyren Wilson 1âÂÂ3 Mark Davis
- Matthew Selt 3âÂÂ1 Michael Holt
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ0 Mark Davis
- Stuart Bingham 3âÂÂ1 Michael Holt
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ0 Dominic Dale
- Matthew Selt 3âÂÂ2 Kyren Wilson
Table
Play-offs
Winners' group
The winners' group was played on 2 and 3 March 2016. Judd Trump beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ2 in the final to take the third Championship League title of his career.
Matches
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ0 Judd Trump
- Stephen Maguire 2âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Mark Selby 2âÂÂ3 Ronnie O'Sullivan
- Ali Carter 3âÂÂ1 Matthew Selt
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Stephen Maguire
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ0 Ali Carter
- Matthew Selt 3âÂÂ0 Mark Selby
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ2 Stephen Maguire
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ0 Mark Williams
- Ali Carter 3âÂÂ1 Mark Selby
- Matthew Selt 0âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ2 Mark Selby
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ2 Matthew Selt
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Ali Carter
- Stephen Maguire 1âÂÂ3 Matthew Selt
- Mark Williams 0âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 3âÂÂ2 Ali Carter
- Judd Trump 2âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Stephen Maguire 2âÂÂ3 Ali Carter
- Judd Trump 2âÂÂ3 Matthew Selt
- Ronnie O'Sullivan 0âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
Table
Play-offs
Century breaks
Total: 96
- 147 <small>(6)</small> Fergal O'Brien
- 144 <small>(2)</small>, 137, 131, 130, 129, 119, 114, 111, 110, 108, 105, 103, 102, 100, 100 Mark Williams
- 141 <small>(W)</small>, 121, 120, 112 Matthew Selt
- 140 <small>(4)</small>, 131, 117, 103 Neil Robertson
- 140 <small>(7)</small>, 101 Stuart Bingham
- 139 <small>(3)</small>, 138, 112, 110, 108, 102 Stephen Maguire
- 138 <small>(1)</small>, 133, 107, 106, 102 Ricky Walden
- 136, 135, 134, 133, 131 <small>(5)</small>, 129, 129, 123, 123, 123, 119, 116, 111, 107, 101, 101, 100 Mark Selby
- 136, 134, 133, 126, 120, 119, 117, 115, 106 Ronnie O'Sullivan
- 134, 103 Mark Davis
- 134, 103 Dominic Dale
- 133, 129, 107, 101 Liang Wenbo
- 131, 110 Robert Milkins
- 129 Graeme Dott
- 126, 122 Marco Fu
- 123, 122, 103, 100, 100 Ali Carter
- 117, 117 Michael White
- 111, 106, 102, 100, 100 Kyren Wilson
- 110, 105 Ryan Day
- 105 Martin Gould
- 104 Ben Woollaston
- 103, 103, 102 Judd Trump
- 101 David Gilbert
<small>Bold: highest break in the indicated group.</small>
Winnings
<small> Green: Won the group. Bold: Highest break in the group. All prize money in GBP. </small>
References
http://www.championshipleaguesnooker.co.uk/players/