How Ronnie O’Sullivan could become snooker’s first ever £2MILLION man after dominant season – despite missing events
RONNIE O’SULLIVAN could become snooker’s first £2million man if he sweeps the board over the next two months.
The Rocket, 48, has been in dominant form this season and has banked a record £1.42m in prize money.
This includes winning the UK Championship in York, the Masters in London and World Masters of Snooker in Saudi Arabia – the three events individually had £250,000 winners’ cheques.
His total has overtaken the previous high mark of £1.01m that was set by Judd Trump in 2018-19 when he claimed his one and only Crucible crown.
On the table now is some serious money if he continues his excellent form on the baize.
There is £170,000 for the World Open, £150,000 for the Tour Championship and, of course, £500,000 if he becomes an eight-time world champion in Sheffield.
Should he win all three – and add up to £30,000 extra for the highest-break bonuses in the process – then he will edge close to the £2m mark from just eight months of playing activity.
O’Sullivan’s previous campaign in terms of cash had been 2018-19 when there was £922,000 against his name.
It is an incredible feat when you consider the world No.1 has pulled out of multiple tournaments citing medical reasons or, in the case of last month’s Welsh Open, stage fright and anxiety.
The Essex potter is up against Welshman Michael White next week in the first round of the World Open in Yushan.
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When he was crushed 6-0 by Mark Selby at the Players Championship in Telford in February, it was his first defeat on the Tour since November 11 following a streak of 16 successive wins.
In Riyadh, O’Sullivan played magnificently well, hitting six centuries across three matches – though the cash-rich Gold Ball never came into play.