Ronnie O’Sullivan says it is ‘great’ for snooker to play in Saudi Arabia (PA)Ronnie O’Sullivan has backed the World Snooker Tour’s decision to hold a tournament in Saudi Arabia which includes a ‘golden ball’ that could increase the maximum break to 167. The inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker is scheduled for March with O’Sullivan set to feature in the 10-player event alongside the rest of the top eight in the world, plus two wildcard entries. It has also been announced that the non-ranking tournament includes a golden ball, known as the ‘Riyadh Season ball’, which will be worth 20 points but can only be potted after a player makes a maximum break of 147. It currently remains unclear whether the golden ball will remain on the table throughout the game, or if players will be penalised for hitting the ball during play. Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Luca Brecel will play in the Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker in MarchWhen asked about Saudi’s decision to introduce a golden ball, O’Sullivan said after his Grand Prix final win: ‘What’s the prize for a 167, have they announced it?

Source: Metro January 22, 2024 07:59 UTC