Championship League Snooker will finally crown its champion on Friday at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.
The four-week long tournament will enter the final day with just eight players remaining and the 2023/24 season-opening ranking title on the line.
Judd Trump, a three-time winner of the invitational version of Championship League Snooker, had been the favourite.
But the Englishman bowed out in Stage Two on Thursday, with Cao Yupeng topping the round-robin standings on frame difference instead.
Sam Craigie also qualified for Stage Three on the penultimate day thanks to an undefeated record in Group G.
It leaves eight contenders left in the hunt for glory on Friday, when there will be two final group stages.
The two table-toppers will subsequently contest a sprint best-of-five frame final to see who can emerge as the first champion of the campaign.
Cao and Craigie both slot into Group B, and alongside Noppon Saengkham they will have aspirations of landing a maiden ranking crown.
However, the obvious favourite from this quartet will be Mark Williams, who is chasing a landmark 25th success at this level and a first in two years.
Group A is the opposite with three among the four participants already proven ranking event winners this year.
Shaun Murphy is on course for a third title of 2023, while Robert Milkins and Chris Wakelin are attempting to add to their respective victories in the Welsh Open and the Shoot Out.
The odd one out is Xiao Guodong, a player who has risen to as high as number 19 in the world ranking in his career without ever having etched his name onto silverware.
Prize Money
| Stage One | Stage Two | Stage Three | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | £3,000 | £4,000 | £6,000 | £20,000 |
| 2nd | £2,000 | £3,000 | £4,000 | £10,000 |
| 3rd | £1,000 | £2,000 | £2,000 | |
| 4th | £0 | £1,000 | £1,000 |
There have been various levels of prize money on offer during the course of Championship League Snooker, but the winner can expect to receive a cheque worth £33,000.
There is also the added incentive of a potentially lucrative spot in the Champion of Champions later this year.
Among the eight involved, only Murphy and Milkins have already guaranteed their tickets to Bolton for the prestigious invitational.
Championship League Snooker
Stage Three draw
The two group winners will face off in a best-of-five frame final on Friday evening.
| Group A |
|---|
| Chris Wakelin |
| Robert Milkins |
| Xiao Guodong |
| Shaun Murphy |
| Group B |
|---|
| Cao Yupeng |
| Noppon Saengkham |
| Sam Craigie |
| Mark Williams |
Featured photo credit: WST
Surely Murphy had already guaranteed his Champion of Champions spot after winning the Tour Championship and Player’s Championship in the spring.
Yes, of course. Thanks.
A repeat win for Murphy is good news for my hopes that Jimmy White qualifies.