Ronnie O'Sullivan will refuse any attempts to make his 16th professional 147 break - as a maximum is only worthwhile for a £50,000 prize.
The Rocket is not tempted to pursue another 147 break at this year's UK Championship with the £15,000 high break prize on offer in York seemingly not enough to risk the magical maximum. World no.1 O'Sullivan holds the record of most competitive 147s and recently claimed they were 'easy' to make.
But O'Sullivan has not achieved such perfection on the baize since 2018 and was caught up in a sportsmanship storm last week after failing to acknowledge rival Judd Trump's 147 during his victory at the prestigious Champion of Champions in Bolton.
O'Sullivan has long protested about the lack of rewards for tournament 147s and famously had to be talked into completing a maximum after shaking hands with opponent Mark King before potting the final black at the 2010 World Open. The seven-time world champion had asked about the 147 prize on the first black and was disgruntled when told about a £4,000 bonus.
Should O'Sullivan win the UK Championship title at the Barbican Centre this week, he will become the first player to win the same ranking event eight times. He would also become the tournament's oldest champion, 29 years after becoming the Triple Crown event's youngest winner.
But there will be no 147 heroics from O'Sullivan this year regardless of his progress in the tournament, as he believes the reward feat is simply not worth the risk. "What’s the prize for a max here? £15,000? Not enough," he said. "I’d probably go for it if it was £50,000 but for anything less than that then let somebody else have a go."
"I’m not that bothered for it. What’s the point? There’s no point taking the risk. I don’t need the money so if it’s going to be money then make it proper money and then I might go for it."
O’Sullivan is the man to beat in York and is through to the last 16 where he will face Zhou Yuelong on Wednesday afternoon after dispatching Matthew Stevens in the last 32. But the Rocket has claimed he is not fired up for the tournament despite his stunning recent form.
"I feel flat, I’ll be honest with you,” he said after his first round win. “I don’t really want to play snooker at the moment, I don’t play much snooker. I just listen to my body, listen to my mind and just go out there and treat it like a practice."
