JOHN Higgins ended his poor start to the season by beating Mark Williams 3-1 to win the latest Premier League mini-tournament in Banbury, Oxfordshire.
The reigning world champion has failed to make his presence felt during the early part of the 2011/12 season, and came into this round of the Premier League already knowing he could not qualify for the semi-finals.
Higgins began the evening with a 3-1 victory over Ali Carter, but it was some way into the match before he produced anything approaching his best form.
In the first frame of the final, Higgins was gifted an opportunity when Williams cannoned into the pack after potting the first blue, and despite a promising split, a red went in, handing control of the table to the Scotsman. Higgins took full advantage, potting a superbly-judged double on 24 before taking full advantage with a 125 clearance.
Williams, who earlier in the evening beat his compatriot Matthew Stevens 3-0 despite suffering from an upset stomach, played a brilliant snooker early in the second frame, with the cue ball landing tightly between the top cushion and the brown. Higgins responded by playing the white off the knuckle in a hit-and-hope shot, but he failed and left Williams with an inviting break-building opportunity. However, Williams only managed 22 before missing an easy red, and Higgins looked set to steal the frame with a break of 43, before missing a red to a blind pocket, and the Welshman returned to clean up the remaining balls to level the match, which also mathematically guaranteed him a place in the playoffs.
With neither player having anything to play for, the pressure was off at the start of frame three, and Williams looked in control until he forced a black on 24, which allowed Higgins back in to take the frame with an 89.
Higgins, who was sporting a ginger moustache as part of the ‘Movember’ charity fundraiser, played the last frame with an unusual amount of haste, and oozed confidence as runs of 21 and 48 gave him a convincing 3-1 victory.
After the match, Higgins appeared relieved at finally having found some form. He said: “That was probably the best I’ve played. It’s not nice to come into a match knowing you can’t do anything to qualify.
“I suppose I’m happy I won and Mark got the frame he needed to go through.”