Ronnie O’Sullivan had a missed opportunity to pocket the special golden ball in a practice session before the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. Known as ‘The Rocket,’ O’Sullivan aims to secure the championship title for the second time without repeating such a mistake.
The tournament has added a unique golden ball worth 20 extra points that remains on the table while a player has the chance to achieve a perfect 147 break. If a player successfully completes the maximum break, they get the opportunity to pocket the valuable golden ball to achieve a record-breaking 167 break.
The reward for accomplishing this feat is a staggering bonus of £760,000 ($1 million), which is more than triple the prize money awarded to the tournament winner. Despite the challenge, O’Sullivan’s practice session illustrated the difficulty 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 shown potting a black ball before attempting the golden ball shot. O’Sullivan was the first to try but his shot bounced off the cushion.
Fortunately, O’Sullivan was not alone in missing the target. Other players like Neil Robertson, Zhao Xintong, Shaun Murphy, and Ding Junhui will also be hoping for better luck if they get another opportunity to pot the golden ball during their matches.
Meanwhile, Mark Williams, Mark Allen, and John Higgins are eager for their practice efforts to pay off after successfully potting the golden ball. Kyren Wilson even displayed confidence with a no-look shot.
O’Sullivan is set to start his campaign either against Masters champion Shaun Murphy or Saudi Arabian player Ziyad Alqabbani in the tournament opener on Wednesday evening. The 49-year-old previously won 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 player to achieve a 167 break, considering it a remarkable accomplishment in the sport.
The defending champion, Mark Allen, secured victory in the previous year’s final against Luca Brecel. The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship features the top 10 players globally alongside two Saudi Arabian wildcards.
The competition spans three days, with the semi-finals and final scheduled for Friday, November 21.