As his broadcast from his private jet earlier this month proved beyond doubt, Rory McIlroy’s bank manager has little reason to worry about the world number’s one golfer’s balance.

Your guide to tonight's television.

Nadia: Chasing the Dream TV3, 2.45pm

Barry Hearn is the man who had everyone going snooker loopy in the eighties as television coverage of the sport boomed on the back of his stable of star players such as Steve Davis.

Mark Selby knows he has to not only defeat 31 other players vying to cause an upset at the BetFred World Snooker Championship but he must also conquer the ’Curse of the Crucible’.

Come back John Virgo, all is forgiven.

Dennis Taylor claims there would be no tears shed among fellow players if Ronnie O'Sullivan carried out his latest threat to quit snooker.

John Higgins made a maximum break but still bowed out of the williamhill.com UK Championship to Mark Davis.

If, as Buggles once said, video really did kill the radio star, then TV has done something equally harmful to a whole host of sportsmen and women whose efforts habitually disappear into a black hole of general apathy.

Steve Davis has hailed Stephen Hendry as "the best winning machine we ever had" after snooker's most successful player took his final bow at the Crucible.

As Bart Simpson — and latterly thousands of football fans — have said, you can actually pinpoint the second his heart rips in half.

Jimmy White has joined Ronnie O’Sullivan in calling for snooker chiefs to mark the anniversaries of Alex Higgins’ two world title triumphs.

Hundreds of people lined the streets today to pay tribute to “prime minister of fun” Frank Carson at his funeral Mass in Belfast.

Judd Trump is optimistic his safety-second approach can continue to pay rich dividends as he heads to the BGC Masters at Alexandra Palace.

US OPEN champion and Ryder Cup team hero Graeme McDowell was last night named RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year.

ABOUT €12,000 raised to help snooker ace Alex “Hurricane” Higgins receive medical treatment will go towards defraying his funeral expenses.

ALEX HIGGINS will always remain an inspiration to the next generation of snooker players looking to emulate the ‘Hurricane’ and reach the very top of the game.

ANOTHER piece of childhood vanished for a lot of people over the weekend with the death of former world snooker champion Alex Higgins.

Tributes flooded in from the snooker world for Alex "Hurricane" Higgins, the troubled genius of the table who died after a battle with cancer.

Alex “Hurricane” Higgins lived up to his stormy nickname.

Former world snooker champion Alex Higgins has died at the age of 61.

Australia was toasting its first Crucible champion tonight after Neil Robertson ground out an 18-13 victory over Graeme Dott.

World Snooker chief Barry Hearn today vowed that the governing body will investigate allegations made against world champion John Higgins “in the fastest possible timetable”.

Neil Robertson wrapped up victory over Steve Davis this afternoon to clinch a place in the Betfred.com World Championship semi-finals.

Mark Allen made sure of his place in the Betfred.com World Championship quarter-finals as the seeds looked set to be scattered in Sheffield.

John Higgins and Shaun Murphy shared the opening eight frames as the Betfred.com World Championship final got under way.

Scotland’s John Higgins survived a major Crucible scare to reach the Betfred.com World Championship final and end Mark Allen’s magnificent run.

JOHN HIGGINS swept into a 6-2 lead over struggling Mark Allen as the pair began their battle for a place in the final of the World Championships.

The head of World Snooker admits he is unsure whether Sheffield will continue to host the sport's World Championships.

THE bookies took a bashing at a rainy Galway yesterday as the women turned on the style for Ladies’ Day.

Qualifier Mark Selby will today have to produce the greatest comeback in the final of the 888.com World Championships to deny John Higgins a second crown.

Stephen Hendry was feeling sick in more ways than one after departing the Malta Cup.

The snooker world paid its final tributes to Paul Hunter today, 10 days after the 27-year-old Yorkshireman died from cancer.

Hundreds of mourners assembled in Leeds Parish Church and hundreds more gathered outside for the funeral this afternoon of snooker professional Paul Hunter.

Scotland’s Graeme Dott was crowned world snooker champion after his gruelling final against Peter Ebdon came to life in grand style last night.

Peter Ebdon and Graeme Dott made history by being involved in the longest frame in 29 years of World Championship snooker at the Crucible Theatre.

Ronnie O’Sullivan was well below his best again as Graeme Dott fought back to level their 888.com World Championship semi-final at 6-6 at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.

NIGEL BOND held his nerve to cause a major upset by knocking Stephen Hendry out of the 888.com World Championship last night in one of the most dramatic matches in the tournament’s history.

Quinten Hann’s career was effectively ended today when the controversial Australian resigned his membership of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association with immediate effect.

World amateur champion Mark Allen took another step towards securing a place in the final stages of the game’s top professional event by recording a 10-3 victory over Justin Astley in Prestatyn.

Football legend George Best today made his final journey though the streets of his home city in an extraordinary funeral for an extraordinary man.

Alex Higgins was beaten 5-2 by Garry Hardiman on his professional comeback in the Irish Professional Championship in Dublin today.

Twenty years ago tonight, four Irish athletes came home for a charity race that changed their lives - and set a record that still stands today. Simon Lewis reflects.

Shaun Murphy has become the first qualifier to reach the Embassy World Championship final for 26 years after overwhelming Peter Ebdon 17-12 with a near flawless display.