SEVERAL top stars are at risk of missing out on automatic seeding at this year’s World Snooker Championship.
The top 16 players in the rankings, calculated by prize money earned across two years, will secure seedings at the Crucible, thus avoiding qualifying.
Reigning champion Kyren Wilson is set to launch his title defence[/caption]
Those who miss out, however, will have to get through the notorious qualifying event at Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport.
The cut-off point to secure a top 16 spot comes after the Tour Championship.
As defending champion, Kyren Wilson has already secured the top seed despite being behind runaway leader Judd Trump in the rankings.
Next up are Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Mark Williams and Luca Brecel, with the quartet very strongly placed.
Mark Allen is seventh as it stands, just ahead of Chinese duo Ding Junhui and Zhang Anda.
Barry Hawkins is 10th and Si Jiahui 11th, with John Higgins 12th and Xiao Guodong 13th.
Sweating on their places will be Jak Jones and Gary Wilson in 14th and 15th respectively.
Currently occupying the 16th and final seeded spot is Neil Robertson.
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At £332,050, the 2010 world champion is just £3,650 ahead of Chris Wakelin in 17th.
Masters champion Shaun Murphy is down in 20th and would currently be forced into qualifying, due to his big triumph coming in an invitational event.
Championship League winner Ali Carter, meanwhile, is 19th and would also miss out on seeding as it stands.
As would 18th-placed Snooker Shoot Out champion Tom Ford.
Last year’s semi-finalists David Gilbert and Stuart Bingham are down in 22nd and 24th respectively.
While Wu Yize is 21st and 23rd is Hossein Vafaei – who claimed the Crucible “stinks” during last year’s tournament.
Four ranking events remain before the cut-off.
The World Open is set to get underway tomorrow, with the World Grand Prix and Players Championship scheduled for next month.
Several players may still be sweating on their places as the Tour Championship gets underway on March 31.
The World Snooker Championship will take place between April 19 and May 5.
Top 16 players guaranteed Crucible place as it stands
1 Kyren Wilson £1,130,300
2 Judd Trump £1,740,200
3 Ronnie O’Sullivan £690,000
4 Mark Selby £658,000
5 Mark Williams £638,600
6 Luca Brecel £623,900
7 Mark Allen £567,900
8 Ding Junhui £497,000
9 Zhang Anda £496,550
10 Barry Hawkins £468,050
11 Si Jiahui £425,200
12 John Higgins £406,250
13 Xiao Guodong £369,000
14 Jak Jones £364,800
15 Gary Wilson £358,900
16 Neil Robertson £332,050
