In a move that demonstrates his commitment to achieving further success in the sport, Ronnie O’Sullivan has announced his decision to join the SightRight coaching stable from the start of this season.
SightRight, run by Stephen Feeney, has become a well-known coaching program across snooker, darts, and golf over the last few years.
Such has been Feeney’s success in such a short period of time, SightRight has already helped to produce two of the last three world snooker champions – Stuart Bingham in 2015 and this year’s winner with the resurgent Mark Williams.
While the former’s relationship with Feeney quickly broke down and is frequently highlighted by petty arguments on social media that would be better suited to a children’s playground, O’Sullivan has obviously been convinced by the praises constantly sung by Williams in recent months.
It’s hard to argue with the results, with the Welshman winning a first world ranking title in almost seven years at the Northern Ireland Open at the end of 2017 just months after threatening to retire from the game when he failed to qualify for the Crucible.
A subsequent triumph in the German Masters followed and the 43 year-old concluded the last campaign in incredible fashion with his third World Championship title – an amazing 15 years after his last victory in Sheffield.
By contrast, O’Sullivan hasn’t had any problems acquiring silverware for his bulging trophy cabinet of late, which perhaps does make it quite a surprise that he has opted to go down this route at all.
However, despite collecting a record-equalling five ranking trophies during the 2017/18 campaign as well as three out of the last five Masters crowns, the “Rocket” hasn’t tasted glory in the biggest one of them all, the World Championship, since 2013.
O’Sullivan is already the 4/1 favourite with sports betting operator Unibet to win the 2019 edition of the World Championship but the recent history has proven that the form book is banished when it comes to the endurance test at the Crucible.
And perhaps this is the real reason why he’s teamed up with SightRight at a time when he is already winning a host of other tournaments and is in the process of breaking the majority of major records to boot.
O’Sullivan said: “Stephen (Feeney) really knows his stuff and no wonder he has had two world champions in the last four seasons – I have been blown away in the first few sessions with him.”
Feeney, who has had golfer Stephen Gallacher and darts star Mervyn King among his crop of sportsmen, added: “I am thrilled to welcome Ronnie on board Team SightRight.”
“I am already working with a team of fantastic players and having Ronnie on board will undoubtedly inspire all of them as well.
“Last season was the most exciting and fun season on tour for me thanks to linking up with Mark Williams on the recommendation of Lee Walker.
“Mark and Lee are two awesome guys and I know, like Marco Fu, that Ronnie paid very close attention to the turnaround in Mark’s career and also to the performances of Shaun Murphy using SightRight methods.”
O’Sullivan chose not to enter the first two ranking events of the season, the Riga Masters and the World Open, so it will be August at the earliest before we get to see what influence the SightRight teachings will have on his game.
i beieve in ronnie he says what he thinks and maybe not always right but willing to negociate to come to a sollution as for diverseifying to other areas will give him satifaction in what he wants.or needs in the future, so good on him to join feeney and help not only him but bring up the young guns on the way, for the future, bob.