Embassy World Championship 1998Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England [ Report | Pictures | Results | Breaks | Qualifying | Prize Money | Odds | Related Pages ] ReportJohn Higgins has won his first world title by beating Ken Doherty. He finished off in style with a break of 118. The win takes him to the top of the rankings! Along the way he broke the record for most centuries in a tournament, with 14. He made four in the final alone. He shares the �19,000 high break prize with Jimmy White. They both made a total clearance of 143. Higgins played brilliantly throughout, winning many frames in one visit. After the first session he lead 6-1, but Doherty refused to lie down and fought back to 6-5. Higgins once again took a commanding lead though, ending the second session 10-6 up. The defending champion struck back again, and it was pretty tight at 13-11, going into the final session. Aided by two centuries the Scot reigned supreme in the final frames though, and won the match 18-12. The crucial point in the evening session came in frame 27 when Doherty, 15-11 down, went in off after potting a frame-winning brown and allowed Higgins to clear up. Doherty also had the misfortune to go in-off in frame 29. However, Higgins was a deserved winner, even if 18-15 would have been a fairer score. Higgins, just 13 days short of his 23rd birthday, became the third youngest champion, behind Stephen Hendry and Alex Higgins. Some quotes from the players: JH, asked on what he was going to do over the next few days, "Get drunk!" The Glasgow Celtic fanatic has a chance for a double celebration this weekend when his favourite team should lift their first domestic championship in 10 years. The first prize was �220,000 and Doherty received �132,000 as runner-up. See The World Championship Page for news and articles Thanks to Patrick McWilliams ([email protected]) for quotes and comments.PicturesNo.1! John and Ken © Eric Whitehead ([email protected]) (Official photographer for the WPBSA) Results(Seedings in brackets, players are English unless stated) FinalJohn Higgins (Scotland) [3] 18-12 Ken Doherty (Ireland) [1] 34-73 (59) 80-20 (53) 86-7 71-1 (71) 113-0 (66) 73-52 (52-55) 130-0 (130) 0-89 (89) 0-112 (112) 7-66 18-97 (58) 66-2 (51) 103-4 (103) 86-5 138-0 (64,74) 70-82 39-90 (69) 89-0 (89) 6-61 (55) 130-0 (130) 0-90 (86) 1-99 (59) 58-48 44-82 60-14 128-0 (128) 71-58 41-78 66-16 119-8 (118) Semi-finalsKen Doherty (Ireland) [1] 17-14 Mark J Williams (Wales) [4] 89-2 67-47 92-52 38-85 (71) 54-47 10-52 71-54 73-69 54-55 115-2 (50,50) 0-110 (63) 49-53 90-1 (59) 40-79 53-57 35-66 (53) 31-81 1-79 (53) 39-84 (78) 33-74 (50) 74-51 79-4 (70) 63-60 41-65 (65) 62-39 64-50 10-66 71-30 62-7 73-5 79-0 (79) John Higgins (Scotland) [3] 17-9 Ronnie O'Sullivan [7] 0-95 (52) 50-65 72-49 104-0 106-21 (74) 0-141 (141) 109-32 (78) 44-67 (62) 68-54 (50H) 70-51 (70) 75-12 79-38 (79) 84-0 (84) 132-0 (53,79) 122-1 (97) 96-1 (52) 64-66 20-69(69) 85-8 39-64 59-64 79-55 66-64 46-75 69-0 (69) 119-0 (119) Quarter-finalsKen Doherty (Ireland) [1] 13-10 Matthew Stevens (Wales) 83-34 53-75 (53-52) 59-19 93-59 (51S) 1-70 9-68 (68) 32-69 (62) 125-0 (83) 60-56 33-78 (72) 92-40 68-22 (68) 38-67 4-127 (127) 113-8 (85) 69-47 53-67 58-13 1-66 66-27 (53) 70-1 (70) 17-61 78-0 (78) Mark J Williams (Wales) [4] 13-11 Peter Ebdon [5] 59-62 71-16 (57) 109-23 (56) 0-98 (82) 52-50 83-0 1-68 (68) 61-60 (57W) 44-54 75-0 59-75 (50E) 85-8 (67) 60-15 8-85 (54) 59-68 (58) 50-39 36-65 17-77 58-30 72-37 23-70 (65) 6-113 (69) 76-53 73-30 John Higgins (Scotland) [3] 13-11 John Parrott [6] 7-82 (50) 70-4 (70) 71-29 (70) 24-70 78-1 (78) 17-56 50-59 65-21 (59) 76-1 0-83 (59) 36-55 78-12 0-76 60-37 44-56 106-0 (102) 143-0 (143) 139-0 (139) 0-84 0-66 (60) 25-82 69-19 (59) 108-3 (78) 59-39 Ronnie O'Sullivan [7] 13-7 Jimmy White 110-1 (104) 0-72 85-0 (85) 60-36 65-26 (51) 66-50 (50W) 92-0 (92) 83-48 56-62 50-81 (63) 84-33 (75) 31-70 (58) 70-58 (54W) 16-88 (80) 43-70 (62) 56-22 (55) 72-30 (64) 64-47 0-84 (72) 118-21 (118) Second roundKen Doherty (Ireland) [1] 13-8 Stephen Lee [16] Matthew Stevens (Wales) 13-9 Mark King Peter Ebdon [5] 13-5 Fergal O'Brien (Ireland) Mark J Williams (Wales) [4] 13-6 Steve Davis [13] John Higgins (Scotland) [3] 13-9 Anthony Hamilton [14] John Parrott [6] 13-7 Tony Drago (Malta) [11] Ronnie O'Sullivan [7] 13-4 Alan McManus (Scotland) [10] Jimmy White 13-3 Darren Morgan (Wales) [15] First roundKen Doherty (Ireland) [1] 10-8 Lee Walker (Wales) Stephen Lee [16] 10-4 Andy Hicks Matthew Stevens (Wales) 10-8 Alain Robidoux (Canada) [9] Mark King 10-5 Nigel Bond [8] Peter Ebdon [5] 10-3 Terry Murphy (N.Ireland) Fergal O'Brien (Ireland) 10-9 James Wattana (Thailand) [12] Steve Davis [13] 10-6 Simon Bedford Mark J Williams (Wales) [4] 10-9 Quinten Hann (Australia) John Higgins (Scotland) [3] 10-8 Jason Ferguson Anthony Hamilton [14] 10-8 Dave Harold Tony Drago (Malta) [11] 10-8 Alfie Burden John Parrott [6] 10-4 Peter Lines Ronnie O'Sullivan [7] 10-5 Joe Swail (N.Ireland) Alan McManus (Scotland) [10] 10-8 David Gray Darren Morgan (Wales) [15] 10-8 Jason Prince (N.Ireland) Jimmy White 10-4 Stephen Hendry (Scotland) [2] BreaksThe total of 59 is a new record for the World Championship.
Final Qualifying RoundTelford International Centre, England (Mar 20-21, 1998) Players are English unless stated Matthew Stevens (Wales) 10-3 Neal Foulds Quinten Hann (Australia) 10-6 Brian Morgan Mark King 10-8 Paul Hunter Fergal O'Brien (Ireland) 10-7 Joe Perry Jason Prince (N.Ireland) 10-8 Martin Clark Terry Murphy (N.Ireland) 10-2 Nick Pearce Jimmy White 10-5 Bradley Jones Lee Walker (Wales) 10-9 Billy Snaddon (Scotland) Alfie Burden 10-3 Rod Lawler Dave Harold 10-7 Joe Delaney (Ireland) Andy Hicks 10-1 David Roe Joe Swail (N.Ireland) 10-3 Matthew Couch Simon Bedford 10-9 Gary Wilkinson David Gray 10-5 Chris Small (Scotland) Peter Lines 10-6 Steve James Jason Ferguson 10-7 Mick Price Prize Money
The OddsFrom William Hill, March 1998.
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