Michael White (snooker player)

Michael White

Michael White at the 2014 German Masters
Born	(1991-07-05) 5 July 1991 (age 25) Neath
Sport country	Wales
Nickname	Lightning
Professional	2007/08, 2009–
Highest ranking	15 (April 2016)
Current ranking	23 (as of 18 December 2016)
Career winnings	£470,517
Highest break	145 (2011 Shanghai Masters Qualifying)
Century breaks	119
Tournament wins
Ranking	1
Non-ranking	1

Michael White (born 5 July 1991) is a Welsh professional snooker player from Neath. At the age of nine he became the youngest player to have made a century break in competitive play and he was the world amateur champion by 14. White won his first, and to date, only ranking event title at the 2015 Indian Open.

White first showed potential by becoming the youngest player to make a century break: a 105 in March 2001, when aged nine. In 2001, he was invited to the Crucible, where John Parrott commented: 'I hope I've retired before I have to play him!' He won a number of junior and later amateur events, and in 2006 became the youngest ever winner of the IBSF World Grand Prix, winning it aged 14. He also won the European under-19 Championship, beating Vincent Muldoon in the final. He turned professional for the 2007/2008 season, but he wasn't allowed to play in the first ranking event of the season, the 2007 Shanghai Masters as it fell short of his 16th birthday which allowed his opponent Lee Walker a walkover. Previously Shaun Murphy had been allowed to play aged 15.

In his first professional match, the Masters qualifying, he shocked Leicester player Tom Ford 4–0, however he lost to eventual champion Barry Hawkins 5–2 in the following round. His first season on the Main Tour was relatively unsuccessful, winning only four matches in the seven ranking events. In his first ranking tournament, the Grand Prix, he finished last in his group, beating Tony Drago but losing his other 6 matches. His most successful run was beating Shailesh Jogia 10–4 in the first round of the World Championship qualifiers, but he lost 10–4 to Barry Pinches in the next. These results meant that he dropped off the Main Tour.