The Grove’s Liu Song returns to the Main Tour after playing as a stand-in in two events this year due to the suspension of John Higgins.

The player from Tianjin, China, who turns 27 tomorrow, received his early birthday present at the expense of Patrick Einsle who has voluntarily withdrawn from the Main Tour.

Song narrowly missed a place on the Main Tour this season but has already done well in the events he took part in, reaching the 3rd qualifying round in the Shanghai Masters and then won four matches in the World Open to reach the last 16, where he narrowly lost to Peter Ebdon for a quarter-final place.