Mark Williams, who won the British Open two years, is still going strong at the age of 50 and remains as surprised as anyone by his longevity in the game
It’s been two years since Williams lifted the trophy at the Centaur in Cheltenham, one of the biggest tournaments outside of the Triple Crown events, after beating fellow snooker icon Mark Selby 10-7 in the final.
Williams, who was 48 at the time, became the second-oldest player ever to win a ranking event. The oldest remains another Welsh idol, Ray Reardon, who won the Professional Players Tournament in 1982 at the age of 50.
For Williams – a member of the famous ‘Class of 92’ with Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins – the victory came as a pleasant surprise, given his age.
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He said at the time: “I never expected I could still get to finals at 48 and to win, playing someone like Mark Selby. What can I say? These things don’t come along too often at my age, so I am just going to enjoy this one.”
On how much longer he could go on for, the ‘Welsh Potting Machine’ added: “I’m going to keep on going until I can’t play anymore. How long I can keep going at this level I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to see where I would be at 50, so I’ll enjoy the ride while I’m still going.”
