Anthony McGill wins one-frame Shoot Out tournament

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Anthony McGill playing at the World Snooker Championship at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield last year.
Anthony McGill won his maiden ranking tournament in 2016

Anthony McGill won the Shoot Out title in Watford in the first year that the one-frame format has been counted as a ranking event.

The 26-year-old Scotsman defeated Xiao Guodong of China 67-19 in the final to take the £32,000 prize money.

McGill, who beat Shaun Murphy in the semi-final, claimed his second ranking title after last year's Indian Open.

"It is a coin-toss tournament," he said. "You never know what can happen but I'm extremely happy."

The four-day event features matches played over a single frame that last for a maximum of 10 minutes. The players must take no more than 15 seconds on a shot for the first five minutes and 10 seconds for the last five.

"In no way on God's earth should this be a ranking tournament," said McGill.

There was controversy in one of the quarter-finals when a shot from eventual finalist Xiao, 28, was allowed to stand despite him overrunning the shot clock, because crowd noise meant both the referee and marker were unable to hear the beeps of the clock.

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22 comments

  • Comment posted by KennyG, at 10:42 27 Feb 2017

    The shoot out is very entertaining, but a million miles away from tournament play. There should never be ranking points for winning this. Even Anthony McGill had the good grace to admit this after he won it.

  • Comment posted by Baron_Blues_Legend_OBE, at 10:29 27 Feb 2017

    Barry Hearn's syrup, pretend-sporting tournaments. Bet, Drink and dancing girls.

  • Comment posted by Display Name, at 12:34 27 Feb 2017

    I watched a couple of hours and apart from the novelty factor it was a bit Mickey Mouse.
    Anthony is correct regarding the ranking status, it was a lottery.

  • Comment posted by AndyB_MOT, at 10:41 27 Feb 2017

    Well done to Anthony McGill but he's right, it should never be a ranking tournament. Also, the Gilbert-Xiao quarter final should clearly have been halted or replayed. To justify the decision not to by stating the "rules of snooker" makes a mockery considering the entire point of this event is that it doesn't use the rules of snooker.

    And the crowd? Stick to watching darts please.

  • Comment posted by MartyBM Plym, at 12:35 27 Feb 2017

    It's a hideous tournament. I gave up watching it as the noise from the crowd was too distracting as a viewer (never mind as a player or match official). It's another attempt to turn snooker into darts. We already have the walk-on music. There'll be the token glamour models next; slithering alongside the players as they stride down the steps. Just leave it alone. Not everything needs to be fast.

  • Comment posted by stephen jones, at 11:56 27 Feb 2017

    Feel sorry for David Gilbert he was the innocent 1 in all this . His opponent broke the rules and the referee wasn't listening how can you blame David Gilbert for that and cost him a further £4000 and a further 4000 ranking points. How that result was allowed to stand I don't know the innocent 1 was the only 1 to suffer surely that can't be right.

  • Comment posted by Alan, at 12:39 27 Feb 2017

    Yet another fast food sport based on the instant gratification needs of people today. Sad

  • Comment posted by supersteve80, at 11:22 27 Feb 2017

    I have really enjoyed watching this tournament. It's been entertaining and I would love to see a 'best of 7 frames' tournament played in this format - each with the shot clock & 10 minute frames. However how Barry Hearn and World Snooker can classify this as a ranking even - I have no idea! I also think the crowd was good for snooker as well - controversial I know.

  • Comment posted by In Wenger We Trust, at 12:46 27 Feb 2017

    Was rubbish. The fans absolute animals/idiots. Won't be watching that more often than once a year. Not proper snooker. The fact that Selby, Ronnie, Robertson, Higgins, Trump, Ding didn't participate says it all.

  • Comment posted by Frankenstein says Relax, at 16:52 27 Feb 2017

    It was a Fantastic Event!, Exciting, gripping and the big field enhanced it & the FA Cup style draw is brilliant!, Why shouldn't it be a ranking Event?, Look I love the 16 Day World Championships & other traditional Tournaments but there is definitely a place for this Format!, Sadly the Dave Gilbert incident did sour it a bit & needs fixing to never happen again!, The Crowd enhanced the Event!.

  • Comment posted by NikNak74, at 13:40 27 Feb 2017

    Didn't enjoy this at all. Becoming too much like darts, the boisterous behaviour of the crowd. Snooker was always a class sport, sadly deteriorating rapidly.

  • Comment posted by Homefinders Plus, at 12:33 27 Feb 2017

    Interesting that a few here seem to think shorter and faster formats of sport are the next best thing. I wonder when a 5-a-side football championship will be the holy grail rather than the Premiership?

  • Comment posted by Billy McK, at 12:31 27 Feb 2017

    I enjoyed watching parts of this tournament , It was played in good spirit and lots of skills on show too . Maybe they could apply the 15 and 10 second rule in some way to say a 5 or 10 frame match . But it drew some good crowds and had some decent play .. only think was ITV and too many adverts

  • Comment posted by Iwashavingadrinkthen, at 22:06 1 Mar 2017

    I can't believe that this is a ranking tournament. Not diminishing McGill's win, but a decent club player could win it with the luck of the draw. No top players says it all. What has Barry Hearn done to the game?

  • Comment posted by Keith, at 21:07 27 Feb 2017

    i think a lot of people were over reacting. A lot of skill in quickly deciding on your shot and playing it and the need for good control of cue ball. it's a way of getting new people into snooker. If it helps slow players speed up i am all in favour. There were some great shots and some good safety play. Pressure was higher because one mistake and the match was over. Best player on the day won.

  • Comment posted by Jas0999, at 19:14 27 Feb 2017

    Awful event. Doesn't matter if you are any good at all. It's down to luck. Top players right to stay away. Being a ranking event makes a mockery of the sport.

  • Comment posted by aWallofRedandBlack, at 12:32 27 Feb 2017

    Yawn

  • Comment posted by dirk diggler, at 10:26 27 Feb 2017

    Mark Williams put it best on Saturday evening: You win the tournament without ever winning a frame.

    It's a snooker tournament for pool players.

  • Comment posted by DerbyDobbin, at 11:53 27 Feb 2017

    The tournament was great to watch and thoroughly entertaining and probably will become the future of snooker as short and fast seems to be the future of all sports!! In no way should it be classed as a full ranking tournament as it dilutes the talent of the top class tournament players in this format. Good debate though!!

  • Comment posted by Alex, at 12:43 27 Feb 2017

    "13. Posted by marcusrussell on
    8 minutes ago
    I watched a couple of hours and apart from the novelty factor it was a bit Mickey Mouse.
    Anthony is correct regarding the ranking status, it was a lottery."

    You can't be serious. This is the future of the sport. We need far more of this like T20 in cricket.

    Brexit means Brexit.

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