tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post642386231654522933..comments2024-02-03T12:04:16.336+00:00Comments on SNOOKER SCENE BLOG: WEMBLEY WILDCARD: THE EARLY RUNNERS AND RIDERSDave Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-926473465618400962008-09-11T22:58:00.000+01:002008-09-11T22:58:00.000+01:00Cliff Wilson was invited to the Masters on winning...Cliff Wilson was invited to the Masters on winning the World Amateur.<BR/><BR/>The pros kicked up a fuss and said they would boycott if an amateur played.<BR/><BR/>The easy solution would have been for Cliff to turn pro, but Cliff was a strong-minded individual and not one to "do as he was told".<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure if the invitation was withdrawn or if Cliff turned it down, but he did not end up playing.Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13172171289575341635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-61616364840827817312008-09-10T19:15:00.000+01:002008-09-10T19:15:00.000+01:00maybe iam imagining it but was there 4 wildcards o...maybe iam imagining it but was there 4 wildcards once about 10 years ago. There was still 18 players top 14 and 4. I think mark king was 16 and missed out and wasn't happy. I think steve davis and jimmy white were among the wildcardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-71173440530934462712008-09-10T10:37:00.000+01:002008-09-10T10:37:00.000+01:00The top four are seeded as per the World Champions...The top four are seeded as per the World Championship. Players ranked 5-8 are placed to avoid the top four in the first round and the rest are drawn at random.<BR/><BR/>I'm not aware of any player turning down a wildcard. There could surely never be any good reason to do this.Dave Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-52763144184529643522008-09-09T09:13:00.000+01:002008-09-09T09:13:00.000+01:00Ok Dave, I stand corecctedregardingAllen and the p...Ok Dave, I stand corecctedregarding<BR/>Allen and the prestige of the Masters.<BR/>But anyway, the calendar is packed,<BR/>so why not let the pretournament<BR/>do a double as qualifying for a<BR/>rankingtournament, to save space?!<BR/><BR/>A questionmark to me is the draw of<BR/>top 16, are there any kind of draw<BR/>or are they slotted in after a fixed system?<BR/>KimballAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-84180078545202831962008-09-08T22:38:00.000+01:002008-09-08T22:38:00.000+01:00Just out of curiosity, what would happen if somebo...Just out of curiosity, what would happen if somebody won the tournament then fell out of the top 16? ie if Lee had won it last year of if one of the wildcards win it. Does that reduce the wildcard next year? Does it push the World Number 16 out? Or do they try to appease everybody?<BR/><BR/>Also, out of curiosity again, does anybody ever turn down their invitation to the Masters? It's a big financial pot but had anybody ever turned it down for ay reason, political or not?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-35430877279087454542008-09-08T17:35:00.000+01:002008-09-08T17:35:00.000+01:00Having a qualifying tournament is a bit of an ass ...Having a qualifying tournament is a bit of an ass to be honest, if you want to class The Masters as an 'elite' event <BR/><BR/>It leaves only 1 wildcard spot remaining for a 'name' player like the ones already mentioned.<BR/><BR/>There are many players outside the top 16 who would add to The Masters, which makes having a pre-qualifying event even more ridiculous in my opinion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-15713949211888886732008-09-08T17:30:00.000+01:002008-09-08T17:30:00.000+01:00I agree with Monique really, not only is Willams a...I agree with Monique really, not only is Willams a twice winner of the tournament but he is one of the best players the sport has seen and is still competitive as he showed by beating Shaun Murphy in Northern Ireland. If he has a good run in the next couple of events then I think that the Masters would be better for having him in it and I hope that would happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-18243852414022204292008-09-08T17:28:00.000+01:002008-09-08T17:28:00.000+01:00I disagree with that last point, Kimball. The pres...I disagree with that last point, Kimball. The prestige of the Masters comes from the fact it is NOT a ranking event but a high class invitational tournament.<BR/><BR/>(and Mark Allen will be in as world no.16)Dave Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-19876059120375052532008-09-08T17:14:00.001+01:002008-09-08T17:14:00.001+01:00Liang Enbo,Judd Trump,Mark Allenand Jamie Cope, al...Liang Enbo,Judd Trump,Mark Allen<BR/>and Jamie Cope, all go for everything, I am a great fan of all four. but my personal choice<BR/>would be Mark Williams!<BR/>The gutfeeling is that Mark is on<BR/>his way back and if he is, he could<BR/>win the Masters.<BR/>A pity they can´t sort it out and<BR/>make a rankingtournament out of<BR/>the Masters.<BR/>KimballAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-55570378106698915872008-09-08T17:14:00.000+01:002008-09-08T17:14:00.000+01:00Liang Enbo,Judd Trump,Mark Allenand Jamie Cope, al...Liang Enbo,Judd Trump,Mark Allen<BR/>and Jamie Cope, all go for everything, I am a great fan of all four. but my personal choice<BR/>would be Mark Williams!<BR/>The gutfeeling is that Mark is on<BR/>his way back and if he is, he could<BR/>win the Masters.<BR/>A pity they can´t sort it out and<BR/>make a rankingtournament out of<BR/>the Masters.<BR/>KimballAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-54807098086399214462008-09-08T17:10:00.000+01:002008-09-08T17:10:00.000+01:00If the Masters is for the absolute elite, it would...If the Masters is for the absolute elite, it would be uncalled for in my opinion to give the wildcard to Liang or to Jimmy White. The way Liang played Higgins in the NIT might be entertaining in the eyes of many but it was utterly stupid! As for Jimmy - although he seems to be on the climbing - he's far from the elite level.<BR/>I'd say, if Mark Williams confirms his place in the provisional top 16 with good runs the this fall tournaments, he should be the one to get it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-60709385279116345662008-09-08T16:58:00.000+01:002008-09-08T16:58:00.000+01:00Thinking about it, there were two wildcards a coup...Thinking about it, there were two wildcards a couple of years ago but as the event is for the absolute elite of the sport the organisers have to be careful not to go down the road of having too many players in itDave Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-54583564421775598152008-09-08T16:33:00.001+01:002008-09-08T16:33:00.001+01:00It's a shame there can't be two wildcards, because...It's a shame there can't be two wildcards, because I think both Wengbo and White would both add to the appeal of the tournament for obvious reasons.Pot The Redshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15455106372999440434noreply@blogger.com