£100,000 Lost_So sad! Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams officially snubbed off  at the 2025 Northern Ireland Open..

£100,000 Lost_So sad! Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams officially snubbed off  at the 2025 Northern Ireland Open..

 

The second Home Nations event of the season at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast gets going on Sunday morning, with the winner leaving with £100,000 a week later.

The upcoming 2025 Northern Ireland Open (Oct 19-26 in Belfast) will be missing two of snooker’s biggest names: Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Williams. Here’s a detailed look at why each is absent, and what it means for the tournament.

Mark Williams

Williams announced his withdrawal from the Northern Ireland Open on 14 October 2025.

He had just won the 2025 Xi’an Grand Prix, becoming the oldest player ever to win a ranking event at age 50.

The World Snooker Tour offered no detailed public reason beyond the withdrawal announcement, but given the timing and his recent exertions, it is widely believed Williams opted to rest after a significant achievement and potentially heavy workload.

His absence opens up opportunities in the draw and is a blow for fans hoping to see one of the sport’s veterans in peak form.

Ronnie O’Sullivan

Although there is no recent official statement from the World Snooker Tour specifically naming a reason for his absence from the Northern Ireland Open, it is part of a pattern. In past seasons (e.g., 2024) he withdrew from the Northern Ireland Open citing “medical reasons”.

Ronnie has skipped multiple ranking events in 2025, which has raised speculation about his schedule priorities, health and well-being.

His absence this year appears to be an extension of that trend: less tournament participation, more selective entry. Though an official 2025 withdrawal reason for this specific event is not publicly detailed, the inference is that health, scheduling and personal choice all play a part.

For fans this means one of the sport’s most charismatic stars will not be competing in Belfast, potentially impacting ticket interest and broadcast intrigue.

What this means for the Northern Ireland Open

With two of the sport’s most prominent names missing — Williams and O’Sullivan — the field opens up for emerging contenders and perhaps a surprise champion.

The absence of high-profile players can shift focus to others such as Judd Trump, Kyren Wilson and the next generation of challengers.

From an organiser’s perspective, the withdrawal of marquee names is not ideal, but not unusual in the modern tour environment where player scheduling and wellbeing are becoming more prominent.

For fans in Belfast and watching globally, it could mean fewer “super-star matchups,” but also an opportunity to witness less-heralded players stepping into the spotlight.

In summary

Mark Williams’ absence is confirmed and appears tied to his recent exertions and likely a conscious rest choice after a major win. Ronnie O’Sullivan’s non-participation aligns with his recent pattern of selective tournament involvement and likely relates to his health, form and scheduling decisions — though no specific reason is publicly cited for this event.