Shaun Murphy won the 2005 World Snooker Championship by defeating Matthew Stevens 18–16.
Murphy entered the tournament as a qualifier and became the second qualifier to win the title at the Crucible Theatre, after Terry Griffiths in 1979. His unexpected run earned him the nickname “The Magician,” a label also used more generally in snooker but strongly associated with Murphy.
The final against Stevens was closely contested, with Murphy eventually securing the deciding frames. The victory was his first World Championship title and his first major ranking title.
Murphy’s triumph is often compared with his 2008 final appearance, when he lost to Mark Selby. It should also be distinguished from Peter Ebdon’s 2002 title, another memorable Crucible victory involving a player who had previously reached a world final.