Nearly 1000 amateur players chase title

(Posted: 9 Jul 2010)

Nearly 1,000 amateur snooker players are lining up to play in the World Snooker Open.

The players are registered for qualifying tournaments to be held at 10 Rileys clubs around the country. (Cardiff, Dunfermline, Glasgow, Guildford, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Norwich, Plymouth, Preston and Stevenage).

One winner from each club can go on to challenge the world’s best including Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry.

The club players from across the country go up against the superstars in the professional qualifying rounds at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield from August 21 to 24. 

Rileys Chief Executive Maurice Kelly said: “We are delighted that nearly 1,000 amateur players have entered the World Snooker Open through Rileys clubs nationwide. This is largest-ever entry for a home-based snooker tournament.

“It proves that at its grassroots, the game of snooker is really flourishing, particularly when you look at the number of young entrants for this competition.

“Rileys are committed to developing snooker in the United Kingdom, through our hugely-successful Future Stars competition for players under 16, and the development work we do with our ambassador, Ronnie O’Sullivan.”

The World Snooker Open is known as the FA Cup of Snooker because the draw system gives ‘minnow’ amateurs the chance to compete against the big boys – with a £500,000 prize fund at stake.

Winners at the Sheffield qualifiers hit the Finals at the Scottish Exhibition Conference Centre in Glasgow from September 18 to 26.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “I'm thrilled to see that nearly 1,000 players have entered the Rileys qualifiers.

“It shows that snooker is still booming at club level and I've no doubt that there's a lot of talent out there which could flourish in this event.

“I'm keen to see the quality of the players who win these events and go through to the professional qualifiers. It will be fascinating to see if any of them can get through to the TV stages and take on the big boys."