2005 Masters (snooker)

2005 Masters (snooker)

The 2005 Rileys Club Masters professional non-ranking snooker tournament took place between 14 and 20 February 2005 at the Wembley Conference Centre, London, England.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his second Masters title beating John Higgins, whom he also beat during O'Sullivan's other title win in 1995, 10–3. Not since Steve Davis whitewashed Mike Hallett 9–0 in 1988 had there been such a runaway London final.

Davis in 2005 meanwhile beat defending champion Paul Hunter 6–5 before losing to Peter Ebdon in the quarter-finals. Another veteran, Jimmy White, who had recently signed a madcap sponsorship deal with HP Sauce (which had sponsored the brown ball in the game) and renaming himself as 'James Brown' (but the new name was never mentioned by referees or commentators during the tournament), made it to the semi-finals again and played against O'Sullivan, but lost 1–6.

After not having a sponsor the previous year, Riley's Club took it in for the 2005 event. For the first time since the 1989/1990 season there was no qualifying event for the Masters.