His path to the final was a "who's who" of snooker legends. Murphy dismantled three former world champions to get there: (13–8) Steve Davis (13–4) Peter Ebdon (17–12) in the semi-finals A Final for the Ages: Murphy vs. Stevens
The final against world number six Matthew Stevens was a rollercoaster of momentum. Stevens, a two-time finalist, looked set to finally claim the crown when he took a commanding after the first day. World Snooker Championship 2005
: At 22, he became the second-youngest winner in history, trailing only Stephen Hendry. His path to the final was a "who's who" of snooker legends
: This was the last ever tournament sponsored by Embassy , ending a relationship with the sport that had lasted since 1976 due to new tobacco advertising laws. a two-time finalist