Last Lap In World Grand Prix Race

This week’s Matchroom.Live Scottish Open is the last counting event before the field is set for the World Grand Prix, with only the top 32 players on the one-year ranking list to make it into the event which runs from December 14 to 20.

Robert Milkins is currently ‘on the bubble’ in 32nd place with £22,000. But just £5,000 separates him from Elliot Slessor in 50th so there are plenty of players battling for a place.

For clarification, prize money earned in the qualifying rounds of the BetVictor German Masters does NOT count towards this tally. If players finish with equal prize money at the end of the Scottish Open, the usual rule of ‘countback’ will apply to determine their position on the one-year list.

There are several crucial matches in the opening round this week including Luca Brecel (39th) v Andrew Higginson (45th) and Matthew Selt (36th) against Elliot Slessor (50th). Click here for the match schedule and below is the prize money breakdown:

Winner: £70,000
Runner-up: £30,000
Semi-finals: £20,000
Quarter-finals: £10,000
Last 16: £7,500
Last 32: £4,000
Last 64: £3,000
High break: £5,000
Total: £405,000

As it stands, there are eight players inside the top 32 of the one-year list who are outside the top 32 of the official two-year list. Four players inside the the official top 16 are outside the top 32 of the one-year list: Mark Allen (35th), Stephen Maguire (37th), Mark Williams (46th) and David Gilbert (58th). Maguire’s defeat against Jak Surety on Monday ended his hopes of a World Grand Prix spot.

In 2021, only the top 16 on the one-year list will go on to the Players Championship in February, then only the top eight qualify for the Tour Championship in March.

Neil Robertson won the Betway UK Championship on Sunday and the £200,000 top prize took him to second place on the one year list, while Judd Trump earned £80,000 as runner-up and stays on top.

Lu Ning enjoyed a fine run to the semi-finals and the £40,000 prize sees him leap from 61st to eighth and ensure his World Grand Prix spot. Zhou Yuelong was the other losing semi-finalist and he’s up from 11th to fifth.

Jack Lisowski’s run to the quarter-finals gives him a boost from 67th to 17th, while Joe Perry got to the same stage and flies up from 32nd to 11th. Tour rookie Pang Junxu was another to make a significant move – his run to the last 16 moved him from 71st to 29th.

The Betway UK Championship was the last counting event for the Masters, and the field for snooker’s biggest invitation event is now set, with Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and Yan Bingtao both earning debuts at Alexandra Palace. Click here for more on that story including ticket details.

On the two-year list, Trump stretched his lead at the top to a vast £721,500 while Robertson moved ahead of Ronnie O’Sullivan into second place.

China’s Zhou is up from 25th to 20th while Lu climbs from 40th to 32nd. Pang jumps 30 places to 82nd.