World Snooker Championship: Mark Allen ‘taking inspiration’ from Rory McIlroys Masters win

Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen says he is taking inspiration from compatriot Rory McIlroy’s dramatic Masters win as he targets a first World Snooker Championship success at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

Allen is a previous winner of both the Masters and the UK Championship, the two other tournaments which make up the feted Triple Crown, but the biggest prize in the sport has so far eluded him.

The 39-year-old says he aims to follow the example of McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam of golf’s four majors by winning at Augusta last weekend.

“There are so many comparisons. That was Rory’s [16th] Masters, this is my 19th Crucible. One tournament away from completing the Triple Crown for me, the Grand Slam for him,” reflected Allen.

“I watched every single shot on Sunday [of the Masters final round], I was glued to it, the ups, the downs, the drama. He’s won it, he’s lost it, he’s won it again, he’s lost it. To win it in a play-off, you can see what it meant to him.

“I’ll try to take as much inspiration from him as I can. If it’s not this year, I’ll be back next year for more. I’ll just keep working hard and hopefully that door will open for me like it did for Rory.”

Allen says he will adopt a similar positive mindset to McIlroy as he aims to perform to his optimum on snooker’s biggest stage.

“He said in his interviews how he tried to be positive every year and he always believed he had the game to win there.

“That’s what I believe here. I’ve won everything else the game has to offer so what should be different here at the Crucible.”