RONNIE O'SULLIVAN has hit five ranking titles this season - and is three behind Stephen Hendry with 33 ranking titles.
His win at the Ladbrokes Players Championship over the weekend sees him also equal the record of Hendry, Ding Junhui and Mark Selby, all whom have won five ranking titles in one season also.
Stephen Hendry, who was back in commentary after losing in the first round of the World Seniors Championship last week, said during the Rocket's 10 4 win over Shaun Murphy: "Who's going to step up to the plate and beat this man?"
He added there was only three snooker players he thought who see themselves honestly being able to beat the man of the moment, the rest are beat he said before they even get to the table.
The three are:
John Higgins
Judd Trump
Mark Selby
During O'Sullivan's illustrious career he has appeared in 47 ranking finals and won 33 of them. That's a 70% success rate in finals.
As well as the success the Rocket has banked this season alone, £793,500 in prize money with the PC final earning him another £125K.
He also pocketed 5K for the highest break prize with racking a 143.
Strangely enough, the Rocket did not make a ton in the final, but stole some key frames which Murphy should have really won.
Class of 92 Still Rule
But what's incredible is this stat of this season:
Three players have won just under 50% of the ranking events this season 9/20.
That's the class of 92 and they are of course
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Mark Williams
John Higgins
Indeed, as the three have an average age of 42, the average age so far after 18 ranking events continues to rise.
New Tour Addition
As the golden oldies continue to dominate the sport this season, a new generation of global players are coming through after China's teenager Luo Honghao, 18, claimed success in Malta with the first ever World Snooker Federation Championship for amateurs at the Dolmen Hotel.
Honghao now earns a two year card for the tour.
It was a busy weekend of snooker - as there was also the World Seniors Championship in Scunthorpe which saw Aaron Canavan claim the second World Seniors Championship.
He, like many others dared to dream and picked up their cue and ended up playing their idols and fellow amateurs in what has become a popular event now as part of the Snooker Legends and World Snooker tour.
Canavan also gets an opportunity to play in World qualifying at Sheffield in April, as well as Honghao.
However, the standard from the amateur to pro circuit will be an endurance test for Honghao as he is likely to face big names in the first rounds of events as a newbie.
The Rocket's success this season at 42 sends a signal to the rest of the players on tour.
Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough...
SEE ALSO: Incredible Ng On Yee claims another World Ladies Snooker Title...
