By winning last year's UK Championship title, Neil Robertson joined a select band of players to have won all of snooker's triple-crown events, and his bid to make the first successful defence since Stephen Hendry 18 years ago looks a lot more promising now Ronnie O'Sullivan has said he may withdraw due to an ankle injury.
Robbo's game, however, is under something of a cloud. Whereas he'd become almost invincible against anybody bar elite players, this term has seen defeats to the likes of Jak Jones, Dechawat Poomjaeng, Gerard Greene and Joe Swail.
Back Michael White 0.5u @ 140.0139/1
The defending champion certainly faces a tricky draw. Kyren Wilson and last week's PTC finalist Robert Milkins present dangerous obstacles even before a potential quarter-final with Stuart Bingham or Ricky Walden. Both are in-form with recent wins under their belt but neither are bombproof, so instead let's try a punt on a player about whom triple-figure odds will soon be unthinkable.
Michael White is another lesser name to have taken Robertson's scalp this season. An outstanding youngster, he looked a star in the making when reaching the quarter-finals of the 2013 World Championship. After a disappointing follow-up season, White is back in contention, reaching at least the quarters in three of his last four events.
Back Barry Hawkins 2u @ 36.035/1
As this week's earlier column suggests, Ronnie O'Sullivan would have been a confident pick in a pretty weak section. However, now the extent of his ankle injury has become clear and he's talked of withdrawing before Sunday's second round match, a rethink is obviously required.
Barry Hawkins is the likeliest beneficiary. Last year's PTC Grand Finals champion has become particularly formidable in big ranking events and he will be relieved if Ronnie withdraws, after losing to him in the semis and final of the last two World Championships, plus the Welsh Open semis.
The only other seed in this section is hard to fancy. John Higgins is clearly in decline so better value may be found in backing dangerous outsiders Anthony McGill or Ben Woollaston. Both have been matched in excess of 300.0299/1.
Back Ding Junhui 6u @ 9.08/1
Whereas players in the bottom half may have been initially relieved to avoid Ronnie, now this looks much the tougher section. This quarter, for example, includes potential champions Ding Junhui, Judd Trump and Mark Allen. The former was last season's most prolific player, while both Trump and Allen have won titles already this year.
Ding gets the nod, not least because the other two may have to play one another in the last-16. Winner of no fewer than five ranking titles last season, Junhui is a much better, more complete player than when winning this in 2005 and 2009.
Back Stephen Maguire 1.5u @ 44.043/1
Finally another tough section, headed by world champion Mark Selby, whose morale will have been boosted by the recent birth of his first child. The famous golf betting 'Nappy Factor' theory suggests he will thrive, but it is equally possible that the distraction and having to practice alone will take the edge of his game.
Given that question mark plus the good form of his main rivals in this section, Selby is worth taking on. Most notably, Shaun Murphy has been in fine form, winning the Bulgarian and Ruhr Opens, hitting a 147 in Sunday's final.
At considerably bigger odds though, Stephen Maguire catches the eye having also played well in Germany, beating Robertson en route to the semis. The game's greatest underachiever's finest moment came here in 2004 and is another who will be boosted if his nemesis O'Sullivan pulls out.
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