Snooker stars in disagreement over £792,000 golden ball prize in Saudi Arabia
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Snooker's biggest stars have shared their wildly different plans for spending the £792,000 ($1million) prize money if they win at this week's Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. The Saudi Arabia-based competition is in full swing, with the semi-finals taking place today (December 20), leaving only four hopefuls with a shot at the massive financial reward. The golden ball, which offers an even bigger prize than when the tournament was last held in March, has made a comeback. Ronnie O'Sullivan, who won the championship earlier this year under its original name, World Masters of Snooker, bagged £250,000. The Championship has become popular due to the addition of the gold ball, which provides competitors with a lavish incentive.
The ball is worth 20 points and can only be potted after a player has scored a 147, making a total of 167 points available. The ball is placed on the top cushion throughout a frame as long as a player can still achieve the maximum break and is removed once the opportunity has passed.
John Higgins came close to securing the golden ball last year but fell short. However, there's a strong incentive to make the historic break in this week's event, reports the Express. While previously £400,000 was up for grabs for a 167 score, this time the prize has been doubled to just under £800,000 for the first player to achieve it.
Many of the game's top players have been knocked out of the running for the cash prize, but their varied ideas on splurging a £792,000 ($1m) windfall provided some fascinating insights. From luxury vehicles to charitable gestures, each contender had their own vision for the hypothetical loot.
