Just two members from the world’s top 16 are still in the draw at the last-16 stage of the 2026 Northern Ireland Open.
A culling of the seeds has taken place over the opening few days of the season’s seventh ranking event and the second from the Home Nations Series.
Kyren Wilson in the top half and Mark Williams in the bottom half are the only two contenders from the elite bracket who remain involved.
Both of them understand what it takes to lift the Alex Higgins Trophy, with Wilson having triumphed two years ago in Belfast and Williams all the way back in 2017.
But there is an increasing likelihood that a new name will be etched onto the silverware come Sunday evening at the Waterfront Hall.
Wilson reached the third round of the venue stages with a 4-2 defeat of Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, while Williams overcame Zhang Anda by the same margin.
The latter will face Martin O’Donnell for a spot in the quarter-finals with Wilson up next against China’s Pang Junxu.
O’Donnell and Pang are among a group of eight players who are on course to claim a maiden ranking event crown.
The former backed up his defeat of record four-time champion Judd Trump in round one with a 4-2 success over Luca Brecel on Wednesday.
Pang, meanwhile, stunned Liam Davies from 60 points behind in the deciding frame of their contest, making a last-gasp contribution of 81 to stay in the tournament.
Even though most of the marquee names have already bitten the dust, there remains plenty of experience with several cueists hoping to add to their career ranking title haul.
Perhaps the most dangerous among those, other than Wilson and Williams, is Jak Jones.
The Welshman already boasts a brace of ranking titles from the 2026/27 campaign and reached the last 16 in Belfast with a 4-2 victory over John Higgins.
Jones encounters Daniel Wells next in an all-Welsh battle, while three-time ranking event winner Ricky Walden and two-time champion Anthony McGill have similarly advanced.
The latter encounters Mateusz Baranowski, who is enjoying his most successful run in a ranking event to date, while Walden will play Elliot Slessor.
There will be an all-English tie between Matthew Selt and Sam Craigie, while this term’s Championship League runner-up David Gilbert faces Cheung Ka Wai.
Hong Kong’s Cheung, a 4-3 winner against Ronnie O’Sullivan earlier in the week, produced a fine 4-0 display to beat Stuart Bingham and reach the last 16 of a ranking tournament for the first time in his career.
Hunting down a second ranking title, Gilbert rode his luck before eventually pipping Gao Yang in a dramatic deciding frame.
All eyes from the home crowd at the Waterfront Hall, meanwhile, will be on Jordan Brown.
The Antrim Ferrari suffered through an emotional showdown with friend Mark Allen on Tuesday and duly produced the goods a day after, constructing two century breaks in a tight 4-3 triumph over Michael Holt.
Brown, who is doing his tour survival aspirations the world of good, will play Scott Donaldson as he attempts to reach the quarters of a Northern Ireland Open draw for the second successive season.
There is a top prize worth £100,000 on offer this week, and an added incentive for most of the players is the prospect of gaining an invitation to the Champion of Champions.
Of the 16 players left in the field, only Wilson and Jones have already assured their tickets to Leicester next month.
Meanwhile, fans of snooker who enjoy other sporting events like football can find live scores, match updates, and other coverage on Tribuna.
2026 Northern Ireland Open draw
Round of 16 (bo7)
All ties take place on Thursday, October 22
Anthony McGill vs Mateusz Baranowski
(not before 2pm BST)
Kyren Wilson vs Pang Junxu
(1pm BST)
Matthew Selt vs Sam Craigie
(1pm BST)
Elliot Slessor vs Ricky Walden
(not before 2pm BST)
David Gilbert vs Cheung Ka Wai
(7pm BST)
Mark Williams vs Martin O’Donnell
(7pm BST)
Jak Jones vs Daniel Wells
(Not before 8pm BST)
Jordan Brown vs Scott Donaldson
(Not before 8pm BST)
Featured photo credit: WST
It’s unusual these days to have just one Chinese player in the last 16 of a ranking event.
Eight players left have won a ranking event. Seven Englishman remain.
It was good to see Dave Gilbert prevail in a tense, very close deciding frame, where he had to come from behind on the colors — so far this season, he seems to be playing pretty well, and he’s showing better competitive mettle.