Ronnie O'Sullivan has reportedly pulled out of the Welsh Open just a few hours before he was scheduled to make his comeback to snooker.

The World Snooker Tour confirmed to that the Rocket's absence from the sport would continue, as Jamie Clark gets a bye into the second round in Llandudno.

The Rocket has been absent since he snapped his cue and struck the table during a disappointing Championship League exit in January, followed by a dramatic withdrawal from the Masters just over a day before his scheduled clash with long-time rival John Higgins.

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O'Sullivan, a four-time Welsh Open winner, did not take part in the German Masters, Masters or the remainder of the Championship League.

'Medical reasons' have been cited in the past and O'Sullivan admitted that it was a "nightmare" not to compete against Higgins at Alexandra Palace last month.

"Yeah, it was a nightmare decision to make," he explained on Eurosport. "You know, if you'd have asked me Sunday if was I ready to play, I probably would have been okay to play, but it's such a massive tournament.

"I've obviously been on this three-week trip away playing, and I just think I exhausted myself. [There was] a lot of pressure while I was away, and I just think the build-up of all that kind of just got a bit too much, really.

"The right decision was not to play. It's such a big tournament I felt whoever was going to come in should at least have a couple of days' notice."