Ronnie O’Sullivan is set to compete for a substantial prize at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters in Riyadh later this month, where 144 players will vie for the title, with the champion being crowned on September 7.
The tournament has garnered significant attention from players due to its hefty prize, matching the one awarded at the World Snooker Championship. This is the second time this year that O’Sullivan and others will have the chance to win £500,000, with the runner-up earning £200,000.
The total prize fund for the Saudi event is £2,302,000, slightly less than the World Championship’s £2,395,000 in Sheffield. However, this difference is largely due to lower payouts in the earlier rounds, with first-round losers receiving £2,000.
Some believe this could mark the beginning of a lucrative relationship between snooker and Saudi Arabia, with speculation that the sport’s future might be rooted in the Middle East. Talks of moving the World Championship from the Crucible to Saudi Arabia were prevalent in April, with promoter Eddie Hearn not ruling out the possibility of a shift.
