The gap in ability between the up-and-coming snooker players and the old stagers was highlighted last week as former world champion Dennis Taylor bid adieu to the professional game. Taylor was competing in the Scottish Masters qualification event in Aberdeen. Not only was the 51-year-old from Belfast beaten 5-3 by unknown Belgium player Patrick Delsemme, but on the adjoining table 19-year-old Stephen Maguire, Stephen Hendry's regular practice partner, became the youngest player to complete a 147 break in a professional event. Ronnie O'Sullivan went on to make another 147 later in the competition. Taylor, in a career spanning 30 years, never once had an officially ratified 147 maximum break. Both Hendry and John Higgins have had two 147s this year alone.