Murphy faces flak for rant at amateurs
ROW ERUPTS AFTER EXIT
AN UNDER-SIEGE Shaun Murphy has been engulfed by the huge backlash to his ‘boot out the amateurs’ rant at the UK Championship.
The embarrassed former world champion reacted angrily after losing 6-5 to Chinese teenage amateur Si Jiahui, below, at York’s Barbican Centre.
World No.6 Murphy, 39, insisted that the youngster – in the draw of 128 as a top-up player – and anyone else without a pro card should be banned from tour tournaments.
Murphy, also plagued by neck, back and eye problems, said: “That young man shouldn’t be in the tournament – I feel extremely hard done by. I don’t know why we allow amateurs to compete in pro tournaments. This is our livelihood, our living. He doesn’t have a care in the world – it’s not fair, and it’s not right.”
But the fallout was massive, with most players fiercely opposed to Murphy’s view – and so too was World Snooker Tour (WST) chairman Barry Hearn.
Critics noted Murphy had received event invites as a teenage amateur himself – and as a scratch golfer he attempted to qualify for The Open at
Royal Portrush in 2019. Hearn said: “When I first put Shaun Murphy in the European Super League when he was 13 or 14, he was an amateur.
“Everyone needs a chance and we have to open our arms and doors and encourage people to take up snooker as a profession. It can never be a closed shop, but based on ability. Shaun usually talks a lot of sense but his comments about amateurs are misguided and wrong. Sometimes speaking right after a really disappointing defeat doesn’t bode well for common sense.”
A WST statement said: “We strongly disagree with Shaun’s comments.” Murphy doubled down yesterday, though. He said: “People are comparing apples and oranges with the golf.The Open – the clue is in the name. It is open. I know other professional players will have sympathy for my view. I thought the same thing last week. I know how bad it looks having said it after losing to an amateur, but that’s what I think.”
Mark Williams backed Murphy’s calls after he reached the second round in York with a 6-3 win over Lei Peifan. He said: “The tour is too big.”