With group one of the 2015 Championship League set to get underway at Crondon Park next Monday, the groups for all seven groups of this season’s event have now been published at the tournament’s official website.
The Headlines
Interestingly, the event which usually runs into March has been somewhat condensed this year, presumably due to the shift of events such as the Shoot Out, World Seniors Championship and Indian Open to later in the season.
As ever there will be seven groups, plus the ‘winners group’ played over the course of four, four day blocks and the tournament will be broadcast exclusively by betting sites online.
In terms of the entry list, two of the tournament’s big hitters, Neil Robertson and two-time Crondon Park champion Judd Trump will get underway in what is a strong opening group full of ranking event winners.
Ronnie O’Sullivan meanwhile makes his first appearance in the event since 2011 and joins at the start of group five on 26th January 2015, with fellow ‘class of 92’ players John Higgins and Mark Williams following in the seventh and final group on 9th February 2015.
To me, it is no surprise to see that Mark Selby has decided to opt out of the event this season, having already stated his intention to select his events more carefully this season following the birth of his daughter in November, while Ding Junhui and Mark Allen are other big names who have chosen not to enter the event this season.
You can find the fixtures for the event at the tournament’s official website here, whilst it is also stated there that a fresh new website will be launched in the new year, with remaining information currently online relating to previous editions of the tournament.
Roll of Honour
2008 – Joe Perry
2009 – Judd Trump
2010 – Marco Fu
2011 – Matthew Stevens
2012 – Ding Junhui
2013 – Martin Gould
2014 – Judd Trump