Ronnie O’Sullivan, known as ‘The Rocket,’ had a challenging practice session before the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship as he missed the chance to pot the special golden ball. This unique ball, worth an additional 20 points, remains on the table until a player can achieve a maximum 147 break. If successful, the player gets the opportunity to pot the valuable golden ball for a groundbreaking 167 break.
The stakes are high for the player who accomplishes this feat, as they stand to earn an impressive £760,000 ($1 million) bonus, which is more than three times the prize money awarded to the tournament winner. O’Sullivan’s practice session highlighted the difficulty of potting the golden ball.
In a video shared by the World Snooker Tour on social media, nine out of the 12 tournament competitors were seen potting a black ball before attempting to pocket the golden ball. O’Sullivan was the first to make an attempt but saw his shot bounce off the cushion.
Fortunately, O’Sullivan was not alone in struggling to pot the golden ball. Other players like Neil Robertson, Zhao Xintong, Shaun Murphy, and Ding Junhui also faced challenges. The upcoming matches will determine if they can improve their performance.
Meanwhile, Mark Williams, Mark Allen, and John Higgins are hoping that their practice efforts pay off after successfully potting the golden ball. Kyren Wilson displayed confidence with a no-look pot during his practice session.
O’Sullivan will begin his campaign against either Shaun Murphy or Ziyad Alqabbani on Wednesday evening. The 49-year-old snooker legend 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 achieve a 167 break, a milestone that no player has reached yet.
Defending champion Mark Allen, who defeated Brecel in the previous final, is also returning to compete in the championship. The tournament, featuring the top 10 players in the world and two Saudi Arabian wildcards, will conclude with the semi-finals and final on Friday, November 21.