Casino operator Wynn Macau Ltd says it will host in December this year the “Macau Snooker Masters” event, headlined by seven-time World Snooker Championship winner Ronnie O’Sullivan (pictured, left).
The event will be held at the Wynn Palace resort in Cotai, from December 25 to 29, with some of the world’s best snooker players due to take part in the invitational tournament.
Eight “world elite” snooker players will gather to compete in Macau, vying for a GBP150,000 (about US$189,500) prize, according to a Wednesday press release.
The roster also includes: Chinese professional snooker player Ding Jun Hui, the first Asian player to reach the top of the world snooker ranking; and Marco Fu, a Hong Kong player and three-time ranking event winner. Also invited for the tournament are: Judd Trump, Jack Lisowski, Mark Williams, Kyren Wilson, and Si Jia Hui.
The initiative chimes with the Macau government’s efforts to diversify the city’s economy via tourism-related sport events.
The tournament is being organised by Wynn Macau Ltd’s local unit – Wynn Resorts (Macau) SA – in collaboration with the Macao Billiards General Association, and Sailing Up Sports. It also has the support of the government’s Sports Bureau.
Linda Chen (pictured, right), president and vice chairman of Wynn Macau Ltd, was quoted in the release as saying that the event aims “to contribute to the growth of Macau’s sports culture and tourism industry”.
She added the contest was part of Wynn Macau Ltd’s “long-term plan to bolster Macau’s influence in the international sports scene”.
The Macau event is not part of the official World Snooker Tour calendar.
