Lee Walker (born 11 February 1976) is a Welsh retired professional snooker player and former World Seniors Champion. He is an official WPBSA coach and is the long-term coach of Mark Williams.

Career After turning professional in 1994 at the age of 18, Walker reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship in 1997, with victories over Dave Harold 10–7 and Alan McManus 13–10, before he lost 13–8 to Alain Robidoux. This was the first time he had reached the latter stages of a ranking tournament, and he also reached the last 16 of the same tournament in 2004 with a 10–7 win over Stephen Lee before losing 13–5 to David Gray. He dropped off the Main Tour after the 2005–2006 season, but returned a year later after a strong campaign on the Pontin's International Open Series, from which the top 8 finishers gain Main Tour places. However he dropped off again at the end of the season.

Walker did however return to the tour in 2014 as he won a 2-year tour card by reaching the semi-final stage of the second event of the 2014 Q School.

2016/2017 season In 2016–17, he had one of his most impressive seasons to date, the highlight being his run in his home tournament, the Welsh Open. He defeated Rhys Clark, and former world champions Neil Robertson and Graeme Dott before losing in the fourth round to Zhou Yuelong.

2017/2018 season In the 2017–18 season, Walker had his best run in a ranking event to date, reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 Gibraltar Open where he was defeated 4–2 by eventual runner-up Cao Yupeng.

2021/2022 season Walker won the 2022 World Seniors Championship at the Crucible Theatre. He recovered from 0–3 down to defeat the defending champion David Lilley in the semi-finals, and then came from 1–3 and 2–4 behind to defeat three-time champion Jimmy White 5–4 in the final. Walker became the 11th different winner of the World Seniors Championship.

2022/2023 season Walker chose not to enter any tournament in the season, except the invitational Champion of Champions. After losing his first round match against Mark Selby, he announced that he had already retired from all activities on the main tour, due to business and coaching obligations.

Performance and rankings timeline Tournament 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2007/08 2012/13 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23RankingNew players on the Main Tour don't have a ranking280189795046425876815958He was an amateur83Players qualified through European Tour Order of Merit started the season without prize money ranking points69Players qualified One Year Ranking List started the season without ranking points80Players qualified through Q School started the season without ranking points85Ranking tournamentsChampionship LeagueTournament Not HeldNon-Ranking EventRRRRAEuropean MastersThe event was called the European Open (1994/1995–1996/1997 and 2001/2002–2003/2004), the Irish Open (1998/1999) and the Malta Cup (2004/2005–2007/2008)LQLQLQNH1RNot HeldLQLQLQLQLQNRNot HeldLQLQ1RLQ1RLQABritish OpenLQLQLQ1R1R1R1RLQLQLQLQTournament Not Held3RANorthern Ireland OpenTournament Not Held2R1R2R1R1R1RAUK ChampionshipLQLQLQLQ1R3RLQLQLQLQLQLQLQA1R1R1R1R1R1R1RWDAScottish OpenThe event was called the International Open (1994/1995–1996/1997) and the Players Championship (2003/2004)LQLQLQLQ1R1RLQLQLQLQNot HeldMRNot Held1R1R2R1R2R1RAEnglish OpenTournament Not Held2R1R2RQF1RLQAWorld Grand PrixTournament Not HeldNRDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQShoot OutTournament Not HeldNon-Ranking1R1R1R1R1R1RAGerman MastersThe event was called the German Open (1995/1996–1997/1998)NHLQLQ1RNRTournament Not HeldALQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQAWelsh OpenLQLQLQLQ3RLQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQA2R1R4R1R1R1R1RLQAPlayers ChampionshipThe event was called the Players Tour Championship Grand Final (2012/2013 and 2014/2015–2015/2016)Tournament Not HeldDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQTour ChampionshipTournament Not HeldDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQWorld ChampionshipLQLQQF1RLQLQLQLQLQ2RLQLQLQALQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQANon-ranking tournamentsChampion of ChampionsTournament Not HeldAAAAAAAA1RThe MastersLQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQAALQAAAAAAAAAAChampionship LeagueTournament Not HeldAAAAAAARRAAASix-red World ChampionshipTournament Not Held2RAAAAAANot HeldAWorld Seniors ChampionshipTournament Not HeldALQAAANHA1RW1RFormer ranking tournamentsDubai ClassicThe event was called the Thailand Classic (1995/1996) and the Asian Classic (1996/1997)LQLQLQTournament Not HeldMalta Grand PrixNon-Ranking EventLQNRTournament Not HeldThailand MastersThe event was called the Thailand Open (1995/1996–1996/1997)LQLQLQLQLQLQLQ1RNRNot HeldNRTournament Not HeldIrish MastersNon-Ranking EventLQ1RLQNHTournament Not HeldNorthern Ireland TrophyTournament Not HeldNR1RTournament Not HeldWuxi ClassicThe event was called the Jiangsu Classic (2008/2009–2009/2010)Tournament Not HeldALQTournament Not HeldNon-RankingTournament Not HeldALQLQTournament Not HeldShanghai MastersTournament Not HeldLQALQLQLQ1RNon-RankingNot HeldPaul Hunter ClassicThe event was called the Grand Prix Fürth (2004/2005) and the Fürth German Open (2005/2006–2006/2007)Tournament Not HeldPro-am EventMinor-Ranking3R1RQFNRNot HeldIndian OpenTournament Not HeldLQNHLQLQ1RTournament Not HeldChina OpenThe event was called the China International (1997/1998–1998/1999)Not HeldNRLQLQLQLQNot HeldLQLQWDALQ2RLQ1RLQTournament Not HeldRiga MastersThe event was called the Riga Open (2014/2015–2015/2016)Tournament Not HeldMR1R1R1R1RNot HeldInternational ChampionshipTournament Not HeldALQ2R1R1RLQLQNot HeldChina ChampionshipTournament Not HeldNRLQLQLQNot HeldWorld OpenThe event was called the Grand Prix (1994/1995–2000/2001 and 2004/2005–2009/2010) and the LG Cup (2001/2002–2003/2004)LQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQLQ3R1R2RLQANot Held1R3R1RLQNot HeldWST Pro SeriesTournament Not HeldRRNot HeldTurkish MastersTournament Not HeldLQNHGibraltar OpenTournament Not HeldMR3RSF1R2R1R1RNHFormer non-ranking tournamentsChampions CupThe event was called the Charity Challenge (1994/1995–1998/1999)AAA1RAAAATournament Not Held Performance Table LegendLQ lost in the qualifying draw#R lost in the early rounds of the tournament(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)QF lost in the quarter-finalsSF lost in the semi-finalsF lost in the finalW won the tournamentDNQ did not qualify for the tournamentA did not participate in the tournamentWD withdrew from the tournament NH / Not Held means an event was not held.NR / Non-Ranking Event means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.R / Ranking Event means an event is/was a ranking event.MR / Minor-Ranking Event means an event is/was a minor-ranking event.PA / Pro-am Event means an event is/was a pro-am event.

Career finals

Non-ranking finals: 1 Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final ScoreRunner-up 1. 1998 Merseyside Professional Championship Peter Lines 4–5

Pro-am finals: 2 (1 title) Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final ScoreWinner 1. 2008 TCC Open Snooker Championship 7–5Runner-up 1. 2014 Pink Ribbon Peter Lines 1–4

Amateur finals: 4 Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final ScoreRunner-up 1. 2006 PIOS – Event 3 Leo Fernandez 5–6Runner-up 2. 2007 PIOS – Event 4 Kuldesh Johal 4–6Runner-up 3. 2011 IBSF World Snooker Championship Hossein Vafaei 9–10Runner-up 4. 2014 Welsh Amateur Championship Jamie Clarke 6–8

Seniors finals: 1 (1 title) Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final ScoreWinner 1. 2022 World Seniors Championship Jimmy White 5–4

References

External links