A Fair Point - Or A Complete Berk?

[New Judge]

Professional snooker player (a former world champion) gets beaten by an amateur. He responds by saying it "isn't fair" that amateurs are allowed to enter professional tournaments:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/59392405

I should have thought that as a professional for 25 years Murphy would have been grateful for an easy draw.

[dannyk13]

Sour grapes on Murphy's part.

[davebro]

big baby - you lost, get over it!

[ToraToraTora]

Complete Berk.

[10ClarionSt]

Murphy has quickly forgotten that he was once a young amateur, as they all were. I was present at KSC in Salford when a very young John Virgo broke the world record break for an amateur at the time, 122. As others have said, sour grapes from Murphy. Doesn't do his image any favours.

[THECORBYLOON]

In 2019, Murphy took part in qualifying for the Open Golf Championship and said,

"If I even managed to progress to the next stage it would be crazy really.

There are some amazing players in those final qualifiers and I would feel like a bit of an imposter, but I’m only 18 holes away.

It is all a bit tongue in cheek and a bit of a laugh, but this will be a fantastic experience."

Seems like he was happy to be an amateur amongst the pros and potentially take one of their places then.

[Ken4155]

Murphy actually turned pro when he was 15 so perhaps his view of amateurs taking part in pro tournaments is something he has held for some time. If that's the case, perhaps he oughtn't to have waited until an amateur beat him before he made that view known. Berk.

[Sqad]

A difficult one.

Turning professional means taking a risk and putting all your eggs in one basket.....it is your livelihood.

The amateur hasn't made these sacrifices and regards snooker as a second job and we all know what we think of "second jobs" -:)

I can see both sides of the argument.

Probably....berk.

[THECORBYLOON]

If he believed it to be wrong, why did he try to qualify as an amateur in the 2019 golf Open?

[davebro]

With career winnings of over £4 million, if he's been at all prudent with his money, he should be a millionaire so talk of "putting bread on the table" is ludicrous.

I think it's always been the case that if they needed to make the numbers up then the top amateurs got a crack.

[davebro]

BTW - the guy who beat him hadn't just walked in off the street, he had been on the main tour previously but lost his place last year apparently.

[THECORBYLOON]

His opponent was up 5-1 and had a chance to win 6-1 so it could have been much worse for Murphy.

[grumpy01]

Shaun Murphy wants it all one way.Congratulations to the young man who beat him.

[New Judge]

Thanks all.

Seems my opinion concurs with the majority (which makes a change!).

[grumpy01]

I see Mark Selby and Mark Williams have come out in agreement with Murphy.I think they just want to have these tournaments for just the top 16 or 32 players then they can “pocket” even more money.If the F A Cup cut out all the small clubs then it would soon lose its appeal.Beware snooker players,you could kill the goose etc..

[tonyav]

I should have thought that as a professional for 25 years Murphy would have been grateful for an easy draw.



I'll bet he was, until he lost and then ''isn't fair''.

[THECORBYLOON]

I wonder if he was mumping when other players were taking on amateurs?