The world’s leading snooker players will be competing for the biggest ever prize fund in Shropshire sporting history when the UK Championship gets underway in Telford on Saturday.
Click here for all the Maplin UK Championships build-up
Former World champions Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Shaun Murphy will be amongst the favourites for the winner’s jackpot of £100,000, which forms part of a bumper total of £590,000 available to the 32 qualifiers for the showpiece event at the International Centre.
The runner-up will receive £46,000 while all the players who have reached the final venue have already guaranteed themselves a payday of £8,000.
A cheque of £5,000 awaits the compiler of the highest break, while £25,000 is on offer for anyone who can produce a maximum 147 clearance.
Meanwhile, Shropshire’s Adrian Gunnell looks set to be backed by a sizeable support when he begins his challenge with a first round meeting with Chinese sensation Ding Junhui.
The match will be played over two sessions, on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and around 300 tickets have already been sold for each day, with many of those expected to watch the home hope in action.
l See also page 55.
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