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The newest sport to gain popularity in Saudi Arabia is snooker, which debuted with a 20-point golden ball for any player who achieves a 147 in the nation’s inaugural TV tournament.
The current world champion Luca Brecel, Ronnie O’Sullivan, and Judd Trump have all committed to the event, which is scheduled for March 4-6.
The World Snooker Tour said that all matches will go according to schedule, with the exception of a 23rd ball they called the Riyadh Season ball, which anybody scoring 147 can try, perhaps leading to a 167 break. It’s unclear if play will include the golden ball being on the table.
“Millions of people watch and play snooker worldwide, and we are excited to have some of the best players visit our nation.”
This is the newest athletic endeavor from Saudi Arabia, which is also home to the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Anthony Joshua’s upcoming match against Francis Ngannou, both taking place in the same week as the snooker tournament.
A prize pool of $1 million (£788,000) awaits the eight players who will compete in the Riyadh Season World Masters.
The General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia’s Chairman, Turki Alalshikh, declared: “We are excited to be hosting our first-ever pro snooker tournament.”
