Ronnie O’Sullivan had a missed opportunity to sink the special golden ball during his practice session leading up to the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. Looking to secure his second tournament victory, ‘The Rocket’ aims to avoid a similar mistake in the upcoming matches.
This unique event features an additional golden ball worth 20 extra points, remaining on the table as long as a player can achieve a 147 break. Should a player accomplish a maximum break, they will have the chance to pot the valuable golden ball, aiming for a record-breaking 167-point break.
The reward for achieving this feat is an astounding £760,000 ($1 million) bonus, surpassing the £250,000 prize for the tournament winner. Despite the allure of the hefty bonus, O’Sullivan’s practice attempts highlighted the challenging nature of potting the golden ball.
In a video shared by the World Snooker Tour on social media, nine out of the 12 competitors in the tournament were seen sinking a black ball on the practice table before taking on the golden ball. O’Sullivan, the first to attempt, unfortunately witnessed his shot bounce off the cushion.
Notably, other players such as Neil Robertson, Zhao Xintong, Shaun Murphy, and Ding Junhui also faced difficulty in potting the golden ball during their practice sessions, hoping for better luck during the actual matches.
On the contrary, Mark Williams, Mark Allen, and John Higgins are optimistic about their practice results paying off after successfully potting the golden ball. Kyren Wilson even showcased his confidence with a no-look shot.
O’Sullivan is set to kick off his campaign, facing either Shaun Murphy or Saudi Arabian player Ziyad Alqabbani in the opening round on Wednesday evening. The 49-year-old previously emerged victorious in the inaugural tournament in March 2024 by defeating Luca Brecel in the final. While aiming for another title in Riyadh, O’Sullivan expressed his desire to be the first to achieve a 167 break.
The competition features the defending champion Mark Allen, who overcame Brecel in last December’s final. Alongside the top 10 players in the world, two Saudi Arabian wildcards are also participating in the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.
Scheduled over three days, the semi-finals and the final are set to take place on Friday, November 21.