Chang Bingyu has scooped a potential £172,000 after a 147 maximum in qualifying for the World Snooker Championship.
The Chinese snooker star bagged the huge prize after his performance against Luca Brecel on Sunday.
Maximum Break Secures Huge Bonus
Chang Bingyu is in a strong position to progress, holding a 5-4 lead in the opening session. He also had even more reason to celebrate, having secured thousands for a stunning break.
He 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 a £147,000 prize, with an additional £10,000 for hitting a maximum in qualifying.
- £147,000 prize for the 147 break.
- £10,000 bonus for a maximum in qualifying.
- Potential £15,000 bonus for the tournament’s highest break.
He is also in line to seal a further £15,000 should his score remain 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 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 received no money during the scandal.
Brecel Aims for Top 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, he 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.