World Snooker Championship successive title. There were 48 century breaks during the final stages, a new record. In the first round of 1997 championship Ronnie O'Sullivan made the fastest maximum break in snooker history, taking just 5 minutes and 20 seconds. The final was between Stephen Hendry and Irishman Ken Doherty. Doherty led 15–7 before Hendry won 5 frames in a row. Doherty then won the next three frames to win 18–12, ending Hendry's winning run of 29 consecutive matches. Stephen Hendry lost to Jimmy White in the first round of the 1998 championship. Doherty reached the final again meeting 22-year-old John Higgins.
1958 News of the World Snooker Tournament 1958 News of the World Snooker Tournament The 1958 News of the World Snooker Tournament was a professional snooker tournament sponsored by the "News of the World". The tournament was won by Fred Davis who won 7 of his 9 matches, beating his brother Joe in all their three matches. Joe won 5 matches and finished in second place ahead of John Pulman by winning more frames overall. The News of the World Snooker Tournament ran from 1949/50 to 1959. There were four competitors: Joe Davis, Fred Davis, John Pulman and Walter Donaldson. Rather than 3-day matches of 37 frames,