English · Leeds, England · Born 14 October 1978 · Died 2006-10-09English snooker player and three-time Masters champion known as the 'Beckham of the Baize', whose career was cut short by his death from cancer at 27.
Born in Leeds on 14 October 1978, Paul Hunter turned professional in 1995 at just 16 and quickly became one of snooker's most exciting young talents, reaching the semi-finals of the Welsh Open in his debut season. His long blond hair and photogenic looks, alongside his flowing attacking game, earned him the nickname 'Beckham of the Baize'. Hunter won three ranking titles: the Welsh Open in 1998 and 2002, and the British Open in 2002. But he became best known as a three-time Masters champion, winning the title in 2001, 2002 and 2004 — remarkably recovering from a losing position in the decider on all three occasions, cementing his reputation as one of the great front-runners under pressure at Wembley and Alexandra Palace. He reached a career-high ranking of world number four in 2004/05. In April 2005, Hunter was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumours. He continued to compete through extensive chemotherapy, and the WPBSA changed its rules to allow him to sit out the 2006/07 season with his ranking frozen while he focused on treatment. His final match came at the 2006 World Championship, a first-round defeat to Neil Robertson. Hunter died on 9 October 2006, five days before his 28th birthday. He was posthumously awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year's Helen Rollason Award, and the Masters trophy was renamed the Paul Hunter Trophy in his honour in 2016. The Paul Hunter Classic tournament and the Paul Hunter Foundation, supporting disadvantaged children, both continue to carry his name.
Three Masters titles won from losing positions and his death from cancer at 27
How They Played
Fluent, attacking break-builder with a flair for comebacks
Lasting Impact
One of snooker's most beloved figures; the Masters trophy and an annual charity tournament are named after him