2016–17 snooker season
Series of snooker tournaments
The 2016–17 snooker season was a series of professional snooker tournaments played between 5 May 2016 and 1 May 2017.
The number of ranking events was increased in 2016/17, with a target of 20 ranking events for 2017/18. According to the World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn , total prize money for the World Snooker Tour in 2016/17 hit £10 million for the first time ever. The trophy for the Masters was renamed the Paul Hunter trophy in perpetuity, in memory of the three-time Masters champion who died in 2006.[ 1]
The Snooker Shoot Out became a ranking event for the first time.[ 2] The Australian Goldfields Open was cancelled.[ 3]
The Players Championship featured the top-16 players on the one year ranking list, as the Players Tour Championship has been cancelled and no order of merit was issued.[ 4]
The new Home Nations Series was introduced in this season with the English Open , Northern Ireland Open , Scottish Open and Welsh Open tournaments. The winner of all four tournaments could earn a massive £1 million bonus prize.[ 5]
Mark Selby won five ranking events during the season with Anthony McGill and Judd Trump each winning twice. Trump appeared in five ranking event finals during the season.
Players
The top 64 players from the prize money rankings after the 2016 World Championship ,[ 6] and the 30 players earning a two-year card the previous year automatically qualified for the season (Vinnie Calabrese has resigned his membership).[ 7] The top eight players from the European Tour Order of Merit and top two players from the Asian Tour Order of Merit , who have not already qualified for the Main Tour, also qualify. Another two players come from the EBSA Qualifying Tour Play-Offs,[ 8] and a further twelve places were available through the Q School .[ 9] [ 10] The rest of the places on to the tour come from the amateur events and national governing body nominations. Yan Bingtao 's two-year tour card will commence this season.[ 11] Also, since Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry have both retired from professional play, only James Wattana was offered an Invitational Tour Card.[ 12] The list of all professional players in the 2016/2017 season includes 129 players .[ 13]
New professional players
All players listed below received a tour card for two seasons.
Calendar
The following tables outline the dates and results of all events of the World Snooker Tour , World Women's Snooker , the World Seniors Tour , and other events.[ 25] [ 26] [ 27] [ 3]
World Snooker Tour
Start
Finish
Tournament
Venue
Winner
Score
Runner-up
Ref.
22 Jun
24 Jun
Riga Masters
Arena Riga in Riga , Latvia
Neil Robertson (AUS )
5–2
Michael Holt (ENG )
[ 28]
5 Jul
9 Jul
Indian Open
HICC Novotel Hotel in Hyderabad , India
Anthony McGill (SCO )
5–2
Kyren Wilson (ENG )
[ 29]
25 Jul
31 Jul
World Open
Yushan No.1 Middle School in Yushan , China
Ali Carter (ENG )
10–8
Joe Perry (ENG )
[ 30] [ 31]
24 Aug
28 Aug
Paul Hunter Classic
Stadthalle in Fürth , Germany
Mark Selby (ENG )
4–2
Tom Ford (ENG )
[ 32] [ 33]
5 Sep
10 Sep
Six-red World Championship †
Bangkok Convention Center in Bangkok , Thailand
Ding Junhui (CHN )
8–7
Stuart Bingham (ENG )
[ 34]
19 Sep
25 Sep
Shanghai Masters
Shanghai Grand Stage in Shanghai , China
Ding Junhui (CHN )
10–6
Mark Selby (ENG )
[ 35] [ 36]
3 Oct
9 Oct
European Masters
Globus Circus in Bucharest , Romania
Judd Trump (ENG )
9–8
Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG )
[ 37] [ 38]
10 Oct
16 Oct
English Open
EventCity in Manchester , England
Liang Wenbo (CHN )
9–6
Judd Trump (ENG )
[ 39] [ 40]
23 Oct
30 Oct
International Championship
Baihu Media Broadcasting Centre in Daqing , China
Mark Selby (ENG )
10–1
Ding Junhui (CHN )
[ 41]
1 Nov
5 Nov
China Championship †
Guangzhou Gymnasium in Guangzhou , China
John Higgins (SCO )
10–7
Stuart Bingham (ENG )
[ 42] [ 43]
7 Nov
12 Nov
Champion of Champions †
Ricoh Arena in Coventry , England
John Higgins (SCO )
10–7
Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG )
[ 44]
14 Nov
20 Nov
Northern Ireland Open
Titanic Belfast in Belfast , Northern Ireland
Mark King (ENG )
9–8
Barry Hawkins (ENG )
[ 45] [ 46]
22 Nov
4 Dec
UK Championship
Barbican Centre in York , England
Mark Selby (ENG )
10–7
Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG )
[ 47]
12 Dec
18 Dec
Scottish Open
Commonwealth Arena in Glasgow , Scotland
Marco Fu (HKG )
9–4
John Higgins (SCO )
[ 48] [ 49]
15 Jan
22 Jan
Masters †
Alexandra Palace in London , England
Ronnie O'Sullivan (ENG )
10–7
Joe Perry (ENG )
[ 50]
1 Feb
5 Feb
German Masters
Tempodrom in Berlin , Germany
Anthony Hamilton (ENG )
9–6
Ali Carter (ENG )
[ 51]
6 Feb
12 Feb
World Grand Prix
Preston Guild Hall in Preston , England
Barry Hawkins (ENG )
10–7
Ryan Day (WAL )
[ 52]
13 Feb
19 Feb
Welsh Open
Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff , Wales
Stuart Bingham (ENG )
9–8
Judd Trump (ENG )
[ 53]
23 Feb
26 Feb
Shoot Out
Watford Colosseum in Watford , England
Anthony McGill (SCO )
1–0
Xiao Guodong (CHN )
[ 54]
2 Jan
2 Mar
Championship League †
Ricoh Arena in Coventry , England
John Higgins (SCO )
3–0
Ryan Day (WAL )
[ 55]
3 Mar
5 Mar
Gibraltar Open
Tercentenary Sports Hall , Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar , Gibraltar
Shaun Murphy (ENG )
4–2
Judd Trump (ENG )
[ 56]
6 Mar
12 Mar
Players Championship
Venue Cymru in Llandudno , Wales
Judd Trump (ENG )
10–8
Marco Fu (HKG )
27 Mar
2 Apr
China Open
Beijing University Students' Gymnasium in Beijing , China
Mark Selby (ENG )
10–8
Mark Williams (WAL )
[ 57]
15 Apr
1 May
World Championship
Crucible Theatre in Sheffield , England
Mark Selby (ENG )
18–15
John Higgins (SCO )
[ 58]
Ranking event
† Non-ranking event
World Ladies Billiards and Snooker
Seniors events
Other events
Points distribution
2016/2017 points distribution for World Snooker Tour ranking events:[ 73]
Tournament/Round→
R144
R128
R96
R80
R64
R48
R32
R16
QF
SF
F
W
Riga Masters
–
0
–
–
525
–
1,050
2,250
4,500
11,250
18,750
37,500
Indian Open
–
0
–
–
2,000
–
3,000
6,000
9,000
13,500
25,000
50,000
World Open
–
0
–
–
4,000
–
6,500
8,000
12,500
21,000
40,000
90,000
Paul Hunter Classic
–
0
–
–
525
–
900
1,725
3,000
4,500
9,000
18,750
Shanghai Masters
–
0
500[ n 1]
–
2,000
3,000[ n 1]
6,000[ n 1]
8,000
12,000
19,500
35,000
85,000
European Masters
–
0
–
–
1,312
–
2,625
4,500
8,250
13,125
26,250
56,250
English Open
–
0
–
–
2,500
–
3,500
6,000
10,000
20,000
30,000
70,000
International Championship
–
0
–
–
4,000
–
7,000
12,000
17,500
30,000
65,000
125,000
Northern Ireland Open
–
0
–
–
2,500
–
3,500
6,000
10,000
20,000
30,000
70,000
UK Championship
–
0
–
–
5,000
–
10,000
15,000
22,500
35,000
75,000
170,000
Scottish Open
–
0
–
–
2,500
–
3,500
6,000
10,000
20,000
30,000
70,000
German Masters
–
0
–
–
1,500
–
3,000
3,750
7,500
15,000
26,250
60,000
World Grand Prix
–
–
–
–
–
–
5,000
7,500
12,500
20,000
40,000
100,000
Welsh Open
–
0
–
–
2,500
–
3,500
6,000
10,000
20,000
30,000
70,000
Shoot Out
–
0
–
–
500
–
1,000
2,000
4,000
8,000
16,000
32,000
Gibraltar Open
–
0
–
–
525
–
900
1,725
3,000
4,500
9,000
18,750
Players Championship
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
10,000
15,000
30,000
50,000
125,000
China Open
–
0
–
–
4,000
–
6,500
8,000
12,500
21,000
35,000
85,000
World Championship
0
–
–
8,000
–
12,000
16,000[ n 1]
25,000
37,500
75,000
160,000
375,000
Notes
^ a b c d Players who lose their first match receive no ranking points.
References
External links
Ranking eventsNon-ranking events Amateur events