WHAT is the most difficult achievement in sport?

This week’s Paddy Power challenge (not an ad..) saw leading figures from snooker, darts, and golf face off in an effort to conclude once and for all which of sport’s great achievements is the hardest. The golfers – Matt Wallace and Ross Fisher – spent two hours trying to hit a hole in one. They failed. The darts players – Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen – spent two hours trying to throw a 9-darter. They failed. The snooker players – Shaun Murphy and Mark Williams – spent two hours trying to make a 147 break. Murphy achieved the feat deep into the second hour. 

Does that mean that the 147 is the easiest? 

It is futile, of course. And not the sort of thing I’d ordinarily write about. But to be honest, I just find the debate interesting, not least because it led to a somewhat heated exchange between Humphries and Murphy.

The concept of the challenge is inherently flawed regardless. Participants may be deterred from achieving their respective feats for fear of making their sport look the easiest. 

Nonetheless, I am going to weigh in with my worthless opinion. 

The golfers have a tough argument. Many an amateur has fluked a hole in one. Some have argued that a more comparable achievement would be a 59. As a relatively novice golfer, I feel relatively confident that I could achieve a hole in one on a short par three given enough efforts. I think for that reason the hole in one can be dismissed quite quickly.

I am relatively average at both snooker and darts. I’ve never hit a 180, although I’ve made numerous 140s. My highest break in snooker is 39. I would say that my ability in both sports is comparable, in that I’d beat most people down the pub but lose to anyone that plays the game regularly. For me, the 147 is undoubtedly the hardest, despite the evidence presented yesterday.

I think, given infinite time, I would achieve the 9-darter first. The dart board never moves, and only nine perfect shots are required. The 147, in contrast, requires 36 (almost) perfect shots and the table differs every time. Maybe there’s an argument that not all 147s are created equal? It is undoubtedly easier to make one against a carefree Mark Williams in practice than it is to make one against Mark Selby in a world championship final. 

Luke Humphries alluded to as much yesterday, suggesting that a 147 is harder for the ordinary man but that the 9darter is harder for the pros. That may well be true, but it’s not really relevant to the debate. Surely that does mean that the 147 is harder. Humphries comments were smugly dismissed by Murphy, leading to the heated exchange referenced above. Humphries had his revenge later on, when it turned out he was far better at snooker than Murphy was at darts.

Murphy claims to have achieved all three. It is possible. He has numerous televised maximum breaks, as well as countless in practice. He is an excellent golfer, and many have attested to that fact. His darts, however, looked no better or worse than mine. Why would he make it up? Who knows. Though many will be sceptical having seen that performance. 

Two weeks ago, a video went viral of former snooker pro Ashley Hugill making back-to-back 147s during practice in Sheffield. That is, perhaps, another tick in the 9darter column. Humphries will certainly see it that way. I’d be interested to see how frequently he makes nine darters in practice.

In conclusion, it doesn’t matter one iota. But even in the face of empirical evidence suggesting otherwise, it’s the 147 for me.

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By Leon Parrott