THEPCHAIYA Un-Nooh missed a black off the spot for a maximum 147 break against Neil Robertson in the Betway UK Championship.

The Thai player wobbled the final colour into the jaws of the bottom right corner pocket and, in one shot, missed out on a £44,000 pay-day.

Un-Nooh had produced a series of outstanding pots to set up the opportunity, which came in the sixth frame of his third round match.

Out of position, he sunk a brilliant black and a sensational long red to move into the colours as he sought snooker’s perfect frame.

But, after landing the pink, he steadied himself and hit the final shot hard, only to suffer agony as the ball black stayed out - to the groans of a busy York Barbican arena.

Un-Nooh would have been in line for a £40,000 rolling prize for a maximum and £4,000 for the tournament’s highest break had the feat not been equalled.

The 30-year-old was visibly distraught afterwards and still had his head in his hands in the following frame when, ironically, Robertson cleared up with a brilliant 145 to set the UK’s new highest break mark.

Un-Nooh went on to lose 6-2 and, afterwards, revealed he was unaware of the huge cash prize on offer.

"I am so disappointed," he said. "There was too much pressure on the last black. I have never done a 147 in a big tournament like this before."

"£44,000?" Un-Nooh added when told of the money. "(I wish) you had told me before I go to pot the black.

"This had never happened to me before. In the eighth frame, I was still thinking about that black and it will give me nightmares tonight."

Robertson added: "My first thought has got to go to Thepchaiya and I am absolutely gutted for him there.

"He's an overseas player and, even though he has won the six-reds, that prize money would have meant an awful lot to him - helping him with his expenses and all that sort of stuff for the next couple of years.

"i am really gutted for him."

On the 145 he then struck in the very next frame, he added: "Stephen Hendry was in the box and so was Matthew Selt and I just turned up and smiled at them because I just know what would have been going through their minds and Stephen probably would have been talking about it as well.

"It's just absolutely crazy. I am sure the crowd got good value out of watching it and I was pleased with the way I played towards the end." 

Marco Fu, who was beating David Gilbert 6-3 on the other table, said he was crushed for his overseas colleague.

"I stopped playing when he was on 80 or something. I just really wanted to cheer him on because he is from Thailand, is an overseas player, and I really wanted him to do well," the Hong Kong potter said.

"I am really gutted for him, missing that black at the end. I just couldn't believe it. I was very nervous as well, watching him. I really felt for him because it was a great opportunity for him to make his mark.

"That's a really nice thing to do, especially making a 147 at the UK - such an important tournament - so I am really disappointed for him."