"I’ve not done snooker any favours" - 147 again proves easier than nine-darter at Paddy Power Perfect Challenge and Shaun Murphy achieves perfection again

The second edition of the Paddy Power Perfect Challenge delivered its share of talking points, but from a darting perspective the event was shaped far more by Michael van Gerwen and Stephen Bunting than by the snooker break that ultimately decided it.

Shaun Murphy completed the 147 that officially ended the contest, yet his success did little to advance the long-running debate he reignited with Luke Humphries over which “perfect” achievement, a nine-darter, hole-in-one or maximum snooker break, is the most difficult. If anything, this year’s evidence pushed the argument further towards the oche.

Van Gerwen looked the most likely across the entire field to deliver the decisive moment. His tempo and scoring rhythm immediately raised the intensity of the challenge, and he crafted the first truly credible opportunity of the day when he left double 18 for a nine-darter. The attempt drifted narrowly outside, however, meaning the challenge was forced to continue.

If Van Gerwen supplied the headline moment, Stephen Bunting provided the clearest illustration of darts’ inherent difficulty. The former Lakeside champion produced several serious attempts, repeatedly setting up the final visit with sustained scoring, yet falling short at the decisive moment.

His series of near-misses served the challenge’s purpose more effectively than any theoretical argument. A 147 does not unravel on the final shot. A hole-in-one does not refuse to drop after the perfect approach. A nine-darter, however, can collapse in an instant despite an otherwise flawless sequence. Bunting’s efforts captured that reality precisely.

Murphy eventually brought the challenge to a close with a composed 147, adding to the one he registered in last year’s inaugural edition. But rather than strengthen his stance that a maximum break is the toughest feat of the three, he acknowledged the opposite outcome.

“I’m not sure that I’ve done snooker any favours by doing it and showing it can be done,” he admitted after sealing the challenge.

He also reflected on the day’s repeated near misses: “Everyone involved in this challenge represents the best in their field… it’s been me this day but it could have been any of the guys doing it at any time. It’s been a frustrating day in some regards because there’s been so many near misses, we could have been out of here five hours ago.”

For a challenge designed to settle the debate, this latest edition only sharpened the view from the darting side: perfection on the oche continues to offer the steepest climb, the tightest margins and the highest pressure of all three disciplines.