World Grand Prix Draw and Players Championship finals seedings

After the weekends play in Gdynia we now have the 32 names that will take part in the World Grand Prix in a weeks time in Llandudno and the 32 names from a separate list that will take part in the Players Championship finals at Event City in Manchester.

No-one was able to surpass 32nd place on the Grand Prix list Stephen Maguire with a good run in Gdynia though some players did come close, while the likes of Martin Gould, Kyren Wilson and Sam Baird did manage to play themselves into the Players Championship Finals with good runs through the weekend.

First off, I can bring you the draw for the World Grand Prix on the premise that the format is the same as last year (and there has been no suggestion otherwise) that 1st on the list will play 32nd, and 16th will play 17th.

World Grand Prix Draw: (In Bracket order)

John Higgins (1) Vs Stephen Maguire (32)
Matthew Selt (16) Vs Ryan Day (17)
Judd Trump (9) Vs Mark Williams (24)
David Gilbert (8) Vs Stuart Bingham (25)

Mark Selby (5) Vs Tom Ford (28)
Luca Brecel (12) Vs Ali Carter (21)
Joe Perry (13) Vs Barry Hawkins (20)
Kyren Wilson (4) Vs Jamie Jones (29)

Martin Gould (3) Vs Tian Pengfei (30)
Shaun Murphy (14) Vs Michael White (19)
Ronnie O'Sullivan (11) Vs Michael Holt (22)
Liang Wenbo (6) Vs Graeme Dott (27)

Mark Allen (7) Vs David Grace (26)
Marco Fu (10) Vs Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (23)
Ben Woollaston (15) Vs Ding Junhui (18)
Neil Robertson (2) Vs Peter Ebdon (31)


Some quality ties in there including some very important ones for players looking to get into the top 16 for the World Championships. We have Stephen Maguire set to play John Higgins in an all Scottish tie, the all Vegan tie between Neil Robertson and Peter Ebdon, while Joe Perry and Barry Hawkins will meet for the third time this year already. Ronnie O'Sullivan will play Michael Holt, and Judd Trump plays Mark Williams (again) as well as an all Leicester tie with Selby and Ford.

Anywhere, onto the seedings for the Players Championship finals. These are worked out by combining the money earned on the European Tour with that earned on the Asian Tour for the 32 players that have qualified. The top 16 seeds will then be drawn at random against the seeds 17-32 in round one which should make for some more great ties in round one.

Players Championship Finals Seedings

1 - Mark Selby (Total money earned: £26,625 all from the European Tour)
2 - Barry Hawkins (Total money: £25, 275 all from ET)
3 - Marco Fu (Total: £24,475 - £23,175 from ET and £1,300 from the Asian Tour)
4 - Rory McLeod (Total: £22,200 finishes ahead of Allen on European Tour countback)
5 - Mark Allen (Total: £22,200 all from ET)
6 - Ali Carter (Total: £20,550 all from ET)
7 - Shaun Murphy (Total: £15,975 all from ET)
8 - Ding Junhui (Total: £14,925 - £1,425 from ET and £13,500 from AT)
9 - Mark King (Total: £14,500 - £13,200 from ET and £1,300 from AT)
10 - Ryan Day (Total: £14,475 all from ET)
11 - Tom Ford (Total: £13,850 - £13,050 from ET and £800 from AT)
12 - Michael White (Total: £13,200 all from ET)
13 - Tian Pengfei (Total: £13,000 - £11,700 from ET and £1,300 from AT)
14 - Mark Williams (Total: 12,225 all from ET)
15 - Ben Woollaston (Total: £11,500 - £9,750 from ET and £1,750 from AT)
16 - Martin Gould (Total: £10,425 all from ET)

17 - Andrew Higginson (Total: £10,275 all from ET)
18 - Ricky Walden (Total: £10,025 - £3,525 from ET and £6,500 from AT)
19 - Mike Dunn (Total: £9,975 all from ET)
20 - Kyren Wilson (Total: £9,900 all from ET)
21 - Liang Wenbo (Total: £9,850 - £8,550 from ET and £1,300 from AT)
22 - Dominic Dale (Total: £9,325 - £8,025 from ET and £1,300 from AT)
23 - Michael Holt (Total: £8,700 all from ET)
24 - Judd Trump (Total: £8,250 all from ET)
25 - Jimmy Robertson (Total: £8,000 - £4,500 from ET and £3,500 from AT)
26 - Alan McManus (Total: £7,950 all from ET)
27 - David Gilbert (Total: £7,350 all from ET)
28 - Sam Baird (Total: £7,275 all from ET)
29 - Luca Brecel (Total: £6,675 all from ET)
30 - Graeme Dott (Total: £6,450 all from ET)
31 - Robert Milkins (Total: £6,200 - £2,700 from ET and £3,500 from AT)
32 - Mark Davis (Total: £6,150 all from ET)


As you'll note there are some big name players missing. The likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Stuart Bingham, John Higgins and Stephen Maguire have all failed to qualify while guys like Judd Trump, Liang Wenbo and Kyren Wilson are seeded outside of the 16 and could draw guys like Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy and Ding Junhui in round one which could all prove massive in the race to make it into the top 16 for certain guys like Maguire, Wilson, Wenbo and Ding.

The World Grand Prix and Players Championship finals are both on ITV with the Grand Prix running from Tuesday 8th March with the final on Sunday 13th March and the Players Finals following after a weeks break from Tuesday 22nd March until Sunday 27th March.