Champion of Champions 2017 – Lommel Update
Following victory for Judd Trump in the final of the 888sport European Masters yesterday evening, just two qualifying events remain in the battle for places at this season’s Champion of Champions at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena.
With Trump already qualified for the event at which he was runner-up to Ronnie O’Sullivan back in 2014, Paul Hunter Classic champion Michael White is now assured of his place at the event for the second time following his 2015 début.
As in previous seasons, qualification for the event will be determined by the winners of professional tournaments dating back to John Higgins victory in 2016, events having been ordered in a specific line of priority.
Players currently qualified are set out below, numbered by qualification priority, not seeding:
1. 2016 Champion of Champions – John Higgins (1)
2. 2016 UK Championship – Mark Selby (2)
3. 2017 Masters – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
4. 2017 World Championship – Mark Selby
5. 2017 German Masters – Anthony Hamilton (4)
6. 2017 World Grand Prix – Barry Hawkins (5)
7. 2017 Championship League Snooker – John Higgins
8. 2017 Players Championship – Judd Trump (6)
9. 2017 China Open – Mark Selby
10. 2017 China Championship – Luca Brecel (7)
11. 2017 Indian Open – John Higgins
12. 2017 World Open – Ding Junhui (8)
13. 2017 European Masters – Judd Trump
14. 2017 International Championship (Nov) – tbc
15. 2016 Northern Irish Open – Mark King (9)
16. 2016 Scottish Open – Marco Fu (10)
17. 2017 Welsh Open – Stuart Bingham (11)
18. 2017 English Open (Oct) – tbc
19. 2017 Gibraltar Open – Shaun Murphy (12)
20. 2017 World Championship runner-up – John Higgins
21. 2017 Riga Masters – Ryan Day (13)
22. 2017 Paul Hunter Classic (Aug) – Michael White (14)
23. 2017 World Cup – Ding Junhui
————————————————————————————————————————–
24. 2017 World Cup – Liang Wenbo (15)
25. 2017 Shoot Out – Anthony McGill (16)
26. 2017 Hong Kong Masters – Neil Robertson (17)
27. 2017 Six Red World Championship – Mark Williams (18)
Who is safe?
As already mentioned above, Welshman Michael White is now guaranteed a place at this year’s Champion of Champions, with Lommel winner Judd Trump already in following his Players Championship victory earlier in the year.
There are just two remaining opportunities for the likes of Neil Robertson, Mark Allen and Kyren Wilson to join them, by winning at either the English Open or International Championship during the next month. If they, or other players as yet unqualified for Coventry are able to claim silverware, then Shoot Out winner Anthony McGill would be the first to miss out, with World Cup winner Liang Wenbo at risk if both events are won by ‘new’ players.
The penultimate place will be determined following the English Open, which runs from 16-22 October at the Barnsley Metrodome.
