 | |
| Born | 14 October 1978 Leeds, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 9 October 2006 (aged 27) Huddersfield, England |
| Sport country |  England |
| Nickname | Beckham of the Baize[1] |
| Professional | 1995–2006 |
| Highest ranking | 4 (2004/2005) |
| Century breaks | 114 |
| Tournament wins | |
| Ranking | 3 |
Paul Alan Hunter (14 October 1978 – 9 October 2006) was an English professional snooker player. He was a three-time Masters champion, winning the event at the 2001, 2002, and 2004 tournaments, recovering from a deficit in the final to win 10–9 on all three occasions. He also won three ranking events: the Welsh Open twice, in 1998 and 2002, and the 2002 British Open.
In March 2005, Hunter was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumours, but continued to play for several months afterwards. He died shortly before his 28th birthday in October 2006. In his memory, a tournament in Fürth, Germany, was renamed the Paul Hunter Classic and, in April 2016, the Masters trophy was renamed the Paul Hunter Trophy. A prolific break-builder, he made 114 century breaks, the highest being a 146 in the 2004 Premier League. During the 2004–05 snooker season, he attained a career-high ranking of number four in the world. Following his death, Hunter was posthumously awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award.
- ^ "Paul Hunter". World Snooker Tour. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.