Ronnie O’Sullivan had a missed opportunity to pocket the distinctive golden ball while practicing for the upcoming Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. Known as ‘The Rocket,’ O’Sullivan aims to avoid a similar mistake during the actual tournament as he eyes a second title victory.
The championship introduces a special golden ball that adds 20 extra points to a player’s score, remaining on the table as long as a maximum 147 break is possible. Achieving a perfect break gives the player the chance to pocket the valuable golden ball for a groundbreaking 167 break.
The stakes are high as the player who accomplishes this feat will receive a substantial £760,000 ($1 million) bonus, more than three times the prize awarded to the tournament winner. However, 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 participants were shown potting a black ball before attempting the golden ball. O’Sullivan was the first to try but saw his shot bounce 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 aiming for better luck if they get another chance in their matches.
Meanwhile, Mark Williams, Mark Allen, and John Higgins will be hoping that their practice pays off after successfully potting the golden ball. Kyren Wilson even displayed his confidence by making a no-look pot.
O’Sullivan will start his campaign on Wednesday evening against either Shaun Murphy or Ziyad Alqabbani. The 49-year-old previously won the inaugural tournament in March 2024 by defeating Luca Brecel in the final. Despite aiming for another title in Riyadh, O’Sullivan expressed his desire to be the first player to achieve a 167 break.
Speaking before the competition, O’Sullivan stated his preference for the big break, emphasizing the challenge of potting the golden ball. Mark Allen returns as the defending champion, having won against Brecel in the last final. The championship includes the top 10 players globally and two Saudi Arabian wildcards.
The competition spans three days, with the semi-finals and final set to take place on Friday, November 21.