John Higgins misses out on his chance at snooker's first EVER 'golden ball' 167 break - and a £395,000 cheque - after drinks being served to the Saudi crowd distracted him on crucial shot
- last month
Snooker star John Higgins agonizingly missed out on the £395,000 windfall for becoming the first player to compile a 167 break at the Riyadh Season World Masters.
Four-time world champion Higgins, 48, had potted 15 reds and 15 blacks during his second round match against Mark Williams.
That put him on course for the maximum break of 147 and, under the rules of this tournament, the chance at potting a golden ball worth 20 extra points.
But Higgins saw his hopes of a £395,000 prize disappear when he overhit his approach to the yellow, having been distracted by movement in the audience as he lined up the black beforehand.
balk
Eurosport footage showed people serving refreshments in the crowd in Saudi Arabia getting in Higgins' eye-line as he prepared to play a shot.
'Oh no, golf people are walking around in front of John's eye-line. That's the last thing he needs,' said Eurosport commentator Dominic Dale.
The gold ball is placed in the middle of the baulk cushion and can only be potted after the final black has been sunk.
When the possibility of a maximum break is over, the ball is removed from the table and placed on a cushion at the side of the arena.
Higgins admitted afterwards that he began to feel nervous as the break went on.
'I actually couldn't feel my feet, my arms and my legs. I walked past Mark and he said: "Listen, I never get nervous but my hands were sweating watching you try to do that break!"' Higgins told Eurosport.
'It's an incredible feeling, but disappointing. I think in the back of my mind, the pink wasn't good, so that was in the back of my mind throughout the whole break, but I gave it a go.
'I was gone! I was just thinking happy thoughts.'
The opening frame 167 attempt failure didn't distract Higgins for too long as he went on to beat Williams 4-2 and set up a quarter-final with Ronnie O'Sullivan on Tuesday.
Four-time world champion Higgins, 48, had potted 15 reds and 15 blacks during his second round match against Mark Williams.
That put him on course for the maximum break of 147 and, under the rules of this tournament, the chance at potting a golden ball worth 20 extra points.
But Higgins saw his hopes of a £395,000 prize disappear when he overhit his approach to the yellow, having been distracted by movement in the audience as he lined up the black beforehand.
balk
Eurosport footage showed people serving refreshments in the crowd in Saudi Arabia getting in Higgins' eye-line as he prepared to play a shot.
'Oh no, golf people are walking around in front of John's eye-line. That's the last thing he needs,' said Eurosport commentator Dominic Dale.
The gold ball is placed in the middle of the baulk cushion and can only be potted after the final black has been sunk.
When the possibility of a maximum break is over, the ball is removed from the table and placed on a cushion at the side of the arena.
Higgins admitted afterwards that he began to feel nervous as the break went on.
'I actually couldn't feel my feet, my arms and my legs. I walked past Mark and he said: "Listen, I never get nervous but my hands were sweating watching you try to do that break!"' Higgins told Eurosport.
'It's an incredible feeling, but disappointing. I think in the back of my mind, the pink wasn't good, so that was in the back of my mind throughout the whole break, but I gave it a go.
'I was gone! I was just thinking happy thoughts.'
The opening frame 167 attempt failure didn't distract Higgins for too long as he went on to beat Williams 4-2 and set up a quarter-final with Ronnie O'Sullivan on Tuesday.