HAIKOU, China - The 2012 World Snooker Haikou Open will kick off on Monday in China's Hainan province and will run until March 4, according to a press conference on Sunday.

Sixteen world's top snooker players, not including "Ronnie" O'Sullivan, who announced to quit the match due to some physical problems, and other 24 snookers, will compete for the total prize of 400,000 pounds ($637,000).

The tournament attracts world-renowned snookers, such as Mark Anthony Selby, Mark James Williams, John Patrick Higgins, Neil Alexander Robertson, Judd Trump and Chinese ace Ding Junhui and Fu Jiajun, all of whom will be the highlight of the match.

Ding Junhui said at the press conference that he needed to adapt himself to jet leg and the present condition because he just finished the match held in Wales, but he would try to make good performance.