Snooker’s top 16 coming to town
SOUTHPORT will host firstclass snooker next year when Coral Players Championship comes to town.
Sixteen of the world’s best players will compete at Southport Theatre and Convention Centre when the event is hosted from February 24 to March 1.
The event, which was won by Ronnie O’Sullivan last year, is being held in Merseyside for the first ever time after Waterfront bosses moved quickly to secure the event when the previous venue, Preston Guild Hall, was forced to close through financial problems.
Other top stars to compete in the 2019 championship included Judd Trump, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Mark Allen, Neil Robertson and Mark Williams.
The one-year ranking list started at the Riga Masters last July, and the cut-off point for the Coral Players Championship is the Shoot Out which finishes on February 23. The top 16 on the list at that point go through to Southport.
Total prize money in Southport will be £385,000, with the winner receiving £125,000, and the event will be televised live on ITV.
A spokesman for World Snooker said: “We are very excited about bringing this prestigious tournament to Merseyside for the first time. We know there’s a lot of support for snooker in the area so we’re expecting big crowds, and once tickets are on sale fans must get them booked early as many of the sessions will sell out.
“The Southport Waterfront is a fantastic venue in a beautiful location on England’s North West coast.
“It will be a superb stage for snooker’s biggest names.
“The Coral Players Championship will bring together 16 of the best players on the planet. The great thing about the Coral Series is that all 128 tour players begin the season on zero as they start the race to qualify for the three lucrative events. So only those in form make it into the elite field.
“That race is well under way now and it will be fascinating to see whether all of the big names make it to Southport, or whether we get new faces and outsiders earning a place in the line-up.
“For fans in the area it’s fabulous news as it’s a chance to see live sport at its very best, and the value for money is exceptional.”
Emma Lloyd, head of creative for Waterfront Southport said: “This is huge for the venue and the town. We are delighted to be working with the team at World Snooker to bring it to the Waterfront and we hope it’s the start of a great working relationship. The North West is known for its love of snooker and Southport is no different.”
Ticket details will be announced as soon as they are available.