 O'Brien at the 2016 Paul Hunter Classic | |
| Born | 8 March 1972 County Dublin, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Sport country |  Ireland |
| Nickname | Fearless Fergal[1] |
| Professional | 1991–2024 |
| Highest ranking | 9 (2000/01) |
| Maximum breaks | 1 |
| Century breaks | 240 (as of 3 July 2024) |
| Tournament wins | |
| Ranking | 1 |
Fergal O'Brien (born 8 March 1972) is an Irish retired professional snooker player who competed on the World Snooker Tour from 1991 to 2024. He won one ranking title during his career, defeating Anthony Hamilton 9–7 in the final of the 1999 British Open. He was runner-up at the 2001 Masters, where he lost the final 9–10 to Paul Hunter.[2] His best performance at the World Snooker Championship was reaching the quarter-finals of the 2000 event, where he lost 5–13 to eventual champion Mark Williams. He reached his highest world ranking of ninth in the 2000–01 season, but spent only three seasons of his 33-year career ranked inside the top 16. He retired from professional competition at the end of the 2023–24 season, intending to remain active in the sport as a coach and a commentator for Eurosport.[3][4]
- ^ "Fergal O'Brien". World Snooker Tour. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Echo Sports Awards 2019: Ireland snooker great Fergal O'Brien receives 'Hall of Fame' accolade". echo.ie. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ "Eurosport snooker pundit and former British Open champion Fergal O'Brien announces retirement at end of season". Eurosport. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "Crucible Qualifying Day Two: Revesz Weathers The Storm". World Snooker Tour. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.