Shaun Murphy Biography 2024 - Winner Of World Snooker Championship 2005

Snooker was first played by British Army officers who were stationed in India as a means of entertainment. So, it is no surprise that most of the top snooker players in the world are from the UK. And among the bunch is the English professional player Shaun Murphy.

Shaun came into the limelight early in his career as an amateur. His playing style was the talk of the town and Murphy's popularity continued to increase after he turned professional.

So, today let's take a deeper dive into what made Shaun Murphy one of the best snooker players in the current climate.

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Murphy Grew Up Playing Snooker

The professional snooker player was born Shaun Peter Murphy on August 10, 1982, in Harlow, England. He was raised in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire and the family faced financial troubles. And at the age of 8, Murphy was on car boot sales trying to earn a small amount of money to help his family.

The same year, Shaun Murphy received a snooker table as his Christmas present. While he had asked for a Commodore 64 computer, the snooker table became the perfect gift for young Shaun. He then fell in love with the game and continued to practice.

Shaun Murphy started playing snooker at the age of eight after he received a snooker table as a Christmas present. Image Source: Shaun Murphy Twitter.

At the age of 9, Murphy joined the Embassy Snooker Club in Rushden, and he continued to gain fame at the local level. However, being a constant face in the local press impacted Shaun's life negatively. He was bullied at school, and after one serious incident Shaun Murphy's dad Tony Murphy told him he was not going back.

Shaun had private tuition for his GCSEs, but he also played snooker almost full time. Unfortunately, his mom and dad split when he was in his mid-teens which affected him hugely. However, he focused on snooker and went on to become one of the top players in the game.

Shaun Murphy Net Worth And Career

Aforementioned, the Harlow-born athlete started playing snooker when he was eight and pursued a career in the field. Therefore it is no surprise that Shaun Murphy's net worth is heavily influenced by his success in the sport.

Moreover, Murphy has also secured numerous sponsorship deals throughout his career, which has helped him earn a considerable sum.

Income As A Snooker Player

Shaun Murphy was only fifteen when he turned professional in 1998. He first participated in the UK Tour, but it wasn't until 2000 he won his first professional tournament. Shaun defeated Stuart Bingham to win the 2000 Benson & Hedges Championship.

Murphy continued his winning strike in several other competitions but did not have much luck in ranking events. His first World Championship win came in 2005, and he was nicknamed "The Magician" for his run in the tournament. Shaun was ranked at 48 before the competition, and clinching the title made him the lowest-ranked player to do so.

After his first major championship title, Shaun continued to dominate the sport and won several tournaments. He has won championships including Malta Cup, UK Championship, Players Tour Championship Finals, China Championship, and World Grand Prix.

Having won numerous ranking and non-raking tournaments, Shaun Murphy has pocketed more than $5.3 million (£4 million) in prize money. Moreover, his highest world ranking was number 3, which he maintained for three seasons following the 2007-08 season.

Here is the list of some of Shaun Murphy's earnings from the various championship he has participated in and won over the years.

While not the complete details about his earnings, the table above shows the massive sum Shaun Murphy has amassed throughout the years.

Moreover, the English player still has many more years remaining in his professional career. So, there is no doubt that Murphy's fortune will continue to increase in the coming days.

Income From Sponsorships

In addition to prize money, Shaun Murphy's net worth is also backed up by his earnings from sponsorship. His first sponsorship deal was with the British shoe company Dr. Martens when he was just 13. He signed a five-year contract worth £5,000-a-year ($6.6K per year) with the company.

Since becoming a professional, Shaun has been sponsored by Tile Mountain, Checkatrade, and JASIC. Moreover, he has also used his social media platforms to advertise products and services from Taom Billiards, Tweakd, and other companies.

Shaun Murphy's net worth includes the amount he earns through sponsorship deals with companies like Tile Mountain and Checkatrade. Image Source: Shaun Murphy Instagram.

Thanks to his collaborations and sponsorships, Shaun Murphy is able to live comfortably. He currently rides the Aston Martin DB11, which reportedly costs around $205,600 in the States.

Shaun Murphy Has Been Married Twice

While the English snooker player found immense success in his professional career, the same can't be said about his personal life. Shaun first found love through cyberspace in the earlier days of his career. Shaun had his then-fiancée Clare Murphy by his side when he won the World Championship in 2005.

While talking to The Telegraph, the snooker player revealed that he and his fiancée had plans to live together only after marriage. And according to IMDb, the pair tied the knot in 2005 after a whirlwind romance conducted through the internet.

Sadly, only a couple of years into their marriage, the Murphy couple divorced. Neither of the ex-pair talked about their marriage and subsequent divorce in the media. But an expose about Shaun's alleged infidelity seems to have ended their union.

Some reports suggest that the former couple divorced in 2008, but others state that Murphy's ex-wife filed for divorce on the grounds of infidelity, in 2009. Even though the date of the actual separation remains a mystery, Shaun's alleged unfaithfulness seems to have played a huge part in ending his first marriage.

Also, Shaun Murphy's ex-wife, Clare slid back into the world without glitz and glamor so, now her whereabouts are unknown.

As for the English athlete, he has found love again and has since gotten married to Elaine O'Reilly.

After his first marriage failed, Shaun Murphy found love again and tied the knot with Elaine O'Reilly, Image Source: Shaun Murphy Instagram.

Shaun exchanged vows with Elaine in June 2016, after proposing to her during Christmas 2014. The Murphy couple has been enjoying a blissful marital life since and currently resides in Ireland.

Shaun Murphy's wife Elaine is a professor of chemical biology at University College Dublin.

Shaun Is A Father Of Two

Just three months after getting married, Shaun Murphy's wife, Elaine gave birth to their first child, Harry Patrick Murphy. Shaun's IMDb notes that young Harry was born on September 5, 2016. Two years later, on September 4, 2018, Murphy's daughter, Molly Murphy was born.

Shaun Murphy welcomed two kids, Harry Murphy and Molly Murphy with his wife Elaine O'Reilly. Image Source: Shaun Murphy Twitter.

Snooker was the most important part of the Harlow-native's life. But since marrying Elaine and welcoming two kids with her, Shaun's priority has shifted. He also credits his kids for helping him get over a loss in the games.

Also, one look at his social media pages shows us that Shaun Murphy's children have taken over his life. Moreover, he does not hesitate to share small tidbits of his life with his kids.

We hope Murphy continues to find success and happiness in his professional and personal life. 

Trivia

• Even though they have a professional rivalry, Shaun is close to Mark Selby.
• Shaun Murphy's ex-girlfriend, Claire Chorlton, once revealed that he listens to Celine Dion to relax before a tournament.
• He is a golf enthusiast and plays during his off days.