Snooker chiefs announce a new golden ball for a maximum 167 break

19 January 2024 , 01:00

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Ronnie O'Sullivan is set to feature in an invitational event in Saudi Arabia in March (Image: Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia have added another major sporting event to its calendar after it was confirmed the Middle Eastern nation will host the inaugural Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker.

The invitational event will take place between March 4-6 at Boulevard Arena in Riyadh, with Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and Luca Brecel among the stars set to feature at the tournament.

Each match will be played under normal World Snooker Tour rules, apart from one new feature which is set to be introduced. A 23rd ball, known as the Riyadh Season ball, will be added in and is worth 20 points.

However, the gold ball cannot be potted until every other ball has been cleared from the table and the player is on a maximum break, which would take it from 147 to 167.

An agreement for the tournament to take place was signed between sport promoters Eddie Hearn and Barry Hearn, chairman of World Snooker Tour Steve Dawson, HE Advisor Turki Alalshikh and General Entertainment Authority CEO Faisal Bafarat - before an official announcement occurred on Thursday.

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Speaking on the confirmation that snooker will head to Saudi Arabia, Alalshikh said: "We are thrilled to be hosting our first-ever professional snooker tournament in the Kingdom. Snooker is watched and played by millions around the world and we look forward to welcoming some of the greatest players and snooker fans to our country and showing them what Saudi Arabia and Riyadh Season has to offer."

Ronnie O'Sullivan is among the 10 players set to compete in Saudi Arabia (VCG via Getty Images)

Dawson said: "It is a great privilege for the World Snooker Tour to work in partnership with HE Advisor Turki Alalshikh to stage an event in Saudi Arabia for the first time. This is a huge breakthrough for snooker into a new territory, and we see this as the beginning of a new adventure for our sport in the region.

"We are looking forward to being a part of Riyadh Season on this fantastic new event featuring the world’s best players. We will be honored to bring our sport to the amazing city of Riyadh, and for the local fans this will be their first chance to see some of snooker’s all-time greats."

Official confirmation of the 10 participants will be announced in the coming weeks, as well as the schedule for the tournament. Most of the world's top snooker players are currently in action at the World Grand Prix in Leicester, with O'Sullivan, who won the Masters at Ally Pally on Sunday, booking his place in the quarter-final of the tournament on Thursday after beating Zhou Yuelong 4-3.

Kieran King