World?number one?John Higgins of Scotland and Chinese ace Ding Junhui will headline a star-studded field at the International Snooker Classic to be held next week in south China's Hainan Province, organizers said on Tuesday.

Joining Higgins and Ding at the March 10-13 event are also reigning world champion Neil Robertson, former world champion Graeme Dott, Northern Ireland's world championships semi-finalist Mark Allen and the Englishman trio of Peter Ebdon, Ali Carter and Shaun Murphy.

The 16 players will be divided into four round-robin groups with the winner of each group advancing to the semifinals.