Bai Yulu's World Snooker Championship qualifying victory over Daniel Womersley marred by major scoring error

A significant scoring error occurred in Bai Yulu’s victory over Daniel Womersley on day one of the World Championship qualifiers in Sheffield. In frame 12, Womersley was erroneously awarded four additional points, leading to Bai believing she required a snooker, despite being well positioned to attempt a clearance. Bai won the match nonetheless, setting up a clash with Michael Holt.

Watch: Bizarre scoreboard error costs women's world champion Bai in Crucible qualifier

Video credit: TNT Sports

A significant scoring error occurred in Bai Yulu’s victory over Daniel Womersley on day one of the World Championship qualifiers at the English Institute of Sport.

Qualifying for the 50th Crucible edition of the World Snooker Championship runs until next Wednesday, April 15, and features a star-studded line-up, including Luca Brecel, Stuart Bingham and Ali Carter.

Among the victors in the first qualifying round on Monday was women’s world champion Bai, who dispatched Womersley 10-7 to set up a second round qualifying match with Michael Holt.

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The 22-year-old beat Womersley despite one of her frames being marred by a scoring error.

In the 12th frame, with Womersley leading by 28 points with 25 remaining on the table, four additional points were incorrectly added to his score when they should have gone to Bai, when he failed to escape from a snooker.

The mistake led to Bai believing she required a snooker, despite being well positioned to attempt a clearance.

Bai dispatched Womersley 10-7 to set up a second-round meeting with Michael Holt

Image credit: Getty Images

Indeed, while the Chinese star appeared confused as she stepped up to the table, the error went uncorrected by both the referee and her opponent.

Womersley took the frame to close to 7-5 behind, but Bai held her nerve to win the match.

Elsewhere, 15-year-old Michal Szubarczyk became the youngest ever player to win a World Championship match after beating former women’s world champion Onyee Ng 10-7.

Six-time World Championship finalist Jimmy White, now aged 63, lost 10-9 to 21-year-old Gao Yang after a nail-biting 19th frame.

When is the World Snooker Championship?

Qualification for the tournament will run from Monday, April 6 to Wednesday, April 15.

The World Championship proper will then be from Saturday, April 18 to Monday, May 4.

How to watch the World Snooker Championship

You can watch every day of the World Championship live on TNT Sports.

It is available both live and on-demand on HBO Max.

Who will play at the World Snooker Championship?

The top-16 seeds for the World Championship were locked in mid-way through the Tour Championship, with defending champion Zhao the No. 1 seed.

1. Zhao Xintong
2. Judd Trump
3. Kyren Wilson
4. Neil Robertson
5. John Higgins
6. Mark Williams
7. Mark Selby
8. Shaun Murphy
9. Xiao Guodong
10. Wu Yize
11. Barry Hawkins
12. Ronnie O'Sullivan
13. Chris Wakelin
14. Mark Allen
15. Si Jiahui
16. Ding Junhui

Watch and stream the 2026 World Championship, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max

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