Ronnie O’Sullivan had a missed opportunity to pocket the special golden ball during a practice session leading up to the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. Known as ‘The Rocket’, he aims to avoid a similar mishap during the tournament as he eyes his second title win.

The championship has introduced a unique golden ball worth an additional 20 points, which remains on the table as long as a player has the chance to achieve a maximum 147 break. If a player successfully completes a maximum break, they are then given the opportunity to pot the valuable golden ball for a groundbreaking 167 break.

The stakes are high as the player who achieves this feat will receive a staggering £760,000 ($1 million) bonus, surpassing the £250,000 prize awarded to the tournament winner. However, O’Sullivan’s practice session highlighted the difficulty in potting the golden ball.

In a video posted by the World Snooker Tour on social media, nine out of the 12 tournament participants were shown potting a black ball on the practice table before attempting the golden ball. O’Sullivan was the first to take the shot but unfortunately saw his attempt bounce off the cushion.

Fortunately for O’Sullivan, he was not alone in missing the target. Neil Robertson, Zhao Xintong, Shaun Murphy, and Ding Junhui are also hoping for better luck if they get another opportunity during their matches.

Meanwhile, Mark Williams, Mark Allen, and John Higgins are eager for their practice sessions to pay off after successfully potting the golden ball. Kyren Wilson even displayed his confidence by making a no-look shot.

O’Sullivan will begin his campaign on Wednesday evening against either Shaun Murphy or Ziyad Alqabbani in the opening round. The 49-year-old emerged victorious in the inaugural tournament in March 2024, defeating Luca Brecel in the final. While O’Sullivan aims for another title in Riyadh, he expressed his desire to be the first player to achieve a 167 break.

In a pre-competition statement, O’Sullivan mentioned, “I’d rather get the big break. I mean, I won the tournament before and it’s great to win the tournament, but to get the 167 I think that’d be amazing. An amazing achievement if anybody could do it.”

He added, “Someone said there’s been 14 147s this year. So that’s a hell of a lot. But to get that golden ball, that’s the true test. I don’t think anyone will do it, if that’s my personal opinion. I’d be happy to be wrong.”

Mark Allen returns as the defending champion after defeating Luca Brecel in last December’s final. The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship features the top 10 players in the world along with two Saudi Arabian wildcards.

The competition spans three days, with the semi-finals and final set for Friday, November 21.