1997–98 snooker season

The 1997–98 snooker season was a series of snooker tournaments played between August 1997 and May 1998. The following table outlines the results for ranking events and the invitational events. This was the first season since 1987–88 that Stephen Hendry failed to win at least one Triple Crown title, although he did reach two of the three Triple Crown finals.

1997–98 snooker season
Details
Duration14 August 1997 – 17 May 1998
Tournaments18
Triple Crown winners
UK Championship Ronnie O'Sullivan
Masters Mark Williams
World Championship John Higgins

Calendar
Date[n 1] Rank Tournament name Venue City Winner Runner-up Score[1][2] Reference
08–14 08–16  CHN NR Superstar International Guangdong Hotel Guangzhou Ronnie O'Sullivan Jimmy White 5–3 [3]
09–17 09–20  CHN NR China International Beijing Steve Davis Jimmy White 7–4 [4]
09–30 10–05  SCO NR Scottish Masters Civic Centre Motherwell Nigel Bond Alan McManus 9–8 [5]
10–14 10–26  ENG WR Grand Prix Bournemouth International Centre Bournemouth Dominic Dale John Higgins 9–6 [6]
10–27 11–08  ENG NR Benson & Hedges Championship Willie Thorne Snooker Centre Malvern Andy Hicks Paul Davies 9–6 [7]
10–30 11–02  MLT NR Malta Grand Prix Jerma Palace Hotel Marsaskala Ken Doherty John Higgins 7–5 [8][9]
11–12 11–30  ENG WR UK Championship Guild Hall Preston Ronnie O'Sullivan Stephen Hendry 10–6 [10]
12–08 12–14  GER WR German Open Atlantis Rheinhotel Bingen am Rhein John Higgins John Parrott 9–4 [11]
01–16 01–25  WAL WR Welsh Open Newport Leisure Centre Newport Paul Hunter John Higgins 9–5 [12][13]
02–01 02–08  ENG NR The Masters Wembley Conference Centre London Mark Williams Stephen Hendry 10–9 [14][15]
02–12 02–22  SCO WR Scottish Open A.E.C.C. Aberdeen Ronnie O'Sullivan John Higgins 9–5 [16][17]
02–26 03–01  ENG NR Charity Challenge Assembly Rooms Derby John Higgins Ronnie O'Sullivan 9–8 [18][19]
03–07 03–15  THA WR Thailand Masters Imperial Queens Park Hotel Bangkok Stephen Hendry John Parrott 9–6 [20][21]
03–24 03–29  IRL NR Irish Masters Goff's Kill Ken Doherty Ronnie O'Sullivan Disqualified [n 2] [22]
04–02 04–12  ENG WR British Open Plymouth Pavilions Plymouth John Higgins Stephen Hendry 9–8 [23][24]
04–18 05–04  ENG WR World Snooker Championship Crucible Theatre Sheffield John Higgins Ken Doherty 18–12 [25]
05–16 05–23  WAL NR Pontins Professional Pontins Prestatyn Mark Williams Martin Clark 9–6 [26]
01–03 05–17  ENG NR Premier League Diamond Centre Irthlingborough Ken Doherty Jimmy White 10–1 [27]
WR = World ranking event
NR = Non-ranking event

* Ronnie O'Sullivan was stripped of the title and disqualified from the tournament having won the final 9–3.
He failed a post match drug test. O'Sullivan tested positive for Cannabis.Ken Doherty was awarded the title.

Official rankings
Main article: Snooker world rankings 1997/1998

The top 16 of the world rankings, these players automatically played in the final rounds of the world ranking events and were invited for the Masters.[28][29][30]

No. Ch. Name Points
1 Stephen Hendry 43127
2 John Higgins 30867
3 Ken Doherty 28601
4 Mark Williams 27485
5 Peter Ebdon 25282
6 John Parrott 25082
7 Ronnie O'Sullivan 24217
8 Nigel Bond 22182
9 Alain Robidoux 21994
10 Alan McManus 20995
11 Tony Drago 19959
12 James Wattana 18822
13 Steve Davis 18654
14 Anthony Hamilton 17004
15 Darren Morgan 16423
16 Stephen Lee 16079

Notes
  1. Dates use the month day format
  2. Having won 9–3, Ronnie O'Sullivan was subsequently stripped of his title and disqualified from the tournament, for failing a drugs test.

References
  1. "The 1997/98 Season". Snooker.org. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  2. "WPBSA Tournament Diary 1997/1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  3. Turner, Chris. "Riley Superstar International". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  4. Turner, Chris. "China International, China Open, Shanghai Masters, Jiangsu/Wuxi Classic". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  5. "Regal Scottish Masters 1997". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  6. "Grand Prix 1997". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  7. Turner, Chris. "Benson & Hedges Championship, Masters Qualifying Tournament". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  8. "Rothmans Grand Prix 1997". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  9. Turner, Chris. "Malta Grand Prix, Malta Cup". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  10. "Liverpool Victoria UK Championship 1997". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  11. "German Open 1997". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  12. "Regal Welsh Open 1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  13. Turner, Chris. "On this Week: Hunter's first ranking title". Eurosport UK. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  14. "Benson & Hedges Masters 1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  15. Turner, Chris. "On this Week: White becomes Brown". Eurosport UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  16. "Regal Scottish Open 1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  17. Turner, Chris. "On this Week: Ranking first for Carter". Eurosport. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  18. "Liverpool Victoria Charity Challenge 1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  19. Turner, Chris. "On this Week: British success for the Whirlwind". Eurosport UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  20. "Beer Chang Thailand Masters 1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  21. Turner, Chris. "On this Week: Birth of the Hurricane". Eurosport UK. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  22. "Benson & Hedges Irish Masters 1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  23. "British Open 1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  24. Turner, Chris. "On this Week: First world title for Reardon". Eurosport UK. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  25. "Embassy World Championship 1998". Snooker.org. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
  26. "1998 Pontins Professional". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  27. "Premier/Matchroom League, Matchroom Championship League". Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012.
  28. Turner, Chris. "Historical World Rankings 1990/91 to 2004/05". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  29. "World Rankings 1997/98". Snooker.org. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  30. Hayton, Eric (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. pp. 119–123. ISBN 0-9548549-0-X.
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