Snooker news - Tour Championship to go ahead in June in Milton Keynes

ByEurosport

Updated 05/06/2020 at 16:26 GMT

The elite eight-man Tour Championship – the penultimate event before the World Championship – will go ahead in Milton Keynes from 20 June until 26 June.

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The event was originally scheduled between 17 March and 22 March and then moved to 21 July and 26 July in Llandudno due to the coronavirus health crisis, but has been moved to Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, the venue for this week's Championship League.

Five-times world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan won his last ranking event at the Tour Championship in March 2019, but has dropped to 18 on the game's one-year list and failed to qualify for his defence of this year's tournament.

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“We are delighted to confirm dates for this event, coming hot on the heels of the Matchroom.Live Championship League," said World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn.

"The feedback we have had this week from the players at the venue in Milton Keynes has been excellent. Any concerns they may have had about their own welfare have been laid to rest – in fact one player described it as ‘probably the safest place on Earth."

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There is a top prize of £150,000 for the winner with a £100,000 bonus up for grabs from sponsors Coral for the leading money winner from the World Grand Prix and Players Championship via the Coral Cup.

Last year's quarter-finals were the best of 17 frames, the semi-finals the best of 19 frames and the final the best of 25 frames.

The highlight of the quarter-final draw is world number one Judd Trump's meeting with John Higgins in a repeat of the 2019 World Championship final that Trump won 18-9.

Traditionally over a longer format, the Tour Championship is ideal preparation for the World Championship which is due to be staged behind closed doors at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield from 31 July until 16 August.