Chang Bingyu has bagged a huge £172,000 prize after his 147 maximum in qualifying for the World Snooker Championship.
The Chinese snooker star was in action against Luca Brecel. He has built up a 5-4 lead in the opening session.
Maximum Break Secures Huge Payday
Chang sunk a brilliant 147 against Brecel, who had initially taken the lead in the clash. Chang went 3-1 ahead with breaks of 69, 129 and 100.
Brecel won a further three in a row, before Chang levelled matters. He then went ahead once again with his money-spinning break.
The achievement saw him seal the £147,000 prize, while he also bagged an additional £10,000 for hitting a maximum in qualifying.
- He is also in line to seal a further £15,000 should his score remain as the highest during the tournament.
- Should there be another 147 throughout the tournament, then Chang will be forced to share that bonus.
Return After Match-Fixing Ban
His stunning achievement comes after he was handed a two-year ban for his part in a match-fixing scandal. Chang returned in 2024 after apologising.
He maintained he that received no money during the scandal.
Brecel Eyes Return to Elite Tournaments
In the meantime, he will also be aiming to stifle any comeback from Brecel, who has underlined his desire to return to major tournaments.
Speaking before he took on Chang, Brecel said: “Every season, I want to really get into the top eight and top-16 tournaments, like the Players Championship and the Tour Championship. I want to be in the real elite tournaments.
“This season I’ve skipped about eight or nine tournaments. I have not felt well. But I never use excuses. It’s just the way it is.
“Your whole career or your whole life as a young player, you just want to win the Worlds. You see that as something really special and it is.
“But once you win that, you need to be motivated by something else. So my motivation now is just to be the best version of myself for the next 15-20 years.
“I know it’s only been one season, but I’ve really missed it. I’m still very young, especially in the snooker world. Thirty-one is very young.
“I’ve had the experience. I’ve won tournaments already. I’ve seen the ups and the downs. I see it as a fresh start. The best is really yet to come.”
The World Snooker Championship gets underway at the Crucible on Saturday 18, April. Zhao Xintong secured the title last year with victory against Mark Williams.