Big bucks beckon at China Open

Next month’s China Open will become the only snooker event other than the World Championship to offer more than $1 million in prize money, thanks to a new four-year agreement between World Snooker and joint promoters Star Xing Pai Group and Beijing Fuhua Culture Tourism Development Ltd. Co.

The world-ranking event will run from April 2 to 8 at the Beijing Olympic Center Gymnasium with the winner pocketing $315,000. The total purse of $1.4 million is almost double last year’s China Open, when the top prize was $120,000.

Only the World Championship first prize of $595,000 is richer.

A contract making Fuhua Group the China Open title sponsor for the next four years was signed between World Snooker, the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association and Fuhua Group.

China’s No 1 Ding Junhui, and international stars John Higgins, Shaun Murphy, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Neil Robertson are expected to take part.

Mark Selby beat Mark Williams in the final in Beijing last year.