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Maguire takes the European Open in MaltaStephen Maguire became the youngest winner of a ranking event for six years as he completed a 9-3 victory over Jimmy White in the final of the European Open in Malta tonight (Saturday). The Glaswegian turns 23 next Saturday and will be celebrating his birthday in style after winning his first major title and pocketing a cheque for £48,000. He belied his relative inexperience with a remarkably composed display to beat veteran White by a comprehensive margin at the Hilton Conference Centre in Portomaso. The 41-year-old Londoner, playing in his 23rd ranking final and seeking his tenth victory, started odds-on favourite, but was swept away by some outstanding snooker from his opponent. It’s a tremendous achievement from the world No 41, who had previously not been past the last 16 of a ranking event. He becomes the fifth Scot to win a ranking title, and the youngest since John Higgins took the world title in May 1998. Maguire was tipped for stardom several years ago by former practice partner Stephen Hendry but has perhaps not progressed as swiftly as expected – his only significant previous achievement the world amateur title in 2000. But he has proved his quality this week with victories over Peter Ebdon, Joe Perry, Higgins, Stephen Lee and finally the Whirlwind, who turned professional before Maguire was even born. In the latest Embassy World Rankings, Maguire leaps to No 23. He has already qualified for the Citywest Irish Masters and won his first match in the Embassy World Championship, so he has a chance to gain a top 16 place by the end of the season. He also climbs to tenth spot in the LG Electronics Tour Order of Merit and, with two events to go, moves into contention for the £50,000 top prize. Trailing 7-1 after the first session, White needed a fast start tonight and he got just that with a break of 78 to take the first frame of the evening. He had a scoring chance in the next after a poor safety from his opponent but he missed a simple red to a top corner and Maguire rolled in runs of 45 and 32 to go six up with seven to play at 8-2. With nothing to lose, White cued beautifully in frame 11 for a superb 125, missing the final blue when a 143 total clearance seemed a formality. But a 57 put Maguire in charge of the next and, after a missed red from White, he added 29 to seal his breakthrough victory. Final qualifying round Tony Drago (Mal) bt Adrian Gunnell (Eng) 5-2 Round one Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) bt Marco Fu (HK) 5-1 Chris Small (Scot) bt Matthew Stevens (Wal) 5-0 Joe Perry (Eng) bt David Roe (Eng) 5-3 Steve Davis (Eng) bt Joe Swail (NI) 5-4 Stephen Maguire (Scot) bt Peter Ebdon (Eng) 5-4 Stephen Lee (Eng) w/o Robin Hull (Fin) Neil Robertson (Aus) bt Ken Doherty (Rep Ire) 5-3 David Gray (Eng) bt Fergal O'Brien (Rep Ire) 5-3 John Higgins (Scot) bt Barry Pinches (Eng) 5-0 Graeme Dott (Scot) bt Drew Henry (Scot) 5-3 Paul Hunter (Eng) bt Brian Morgan 5-1 Stephen Hendry (Scot) bt Jimmy Michie (Eng) 5-1 Jimmy White (Eng) bt James Wattana (Thai) 5-4 Quinten Hann (Aus) bt Simon Bedford (Eng) 5-0 Anthony Hamilton (Eng) bt Mark Williams (Wal) 5-1 Drago bt Alan McManus (Scot) 5-4 Round two O'Sullivan bt Small 5-1 Lee bt Davis 5-3 Higgins bt Dott 5-0 White bt Hendry 5-3 Maguire bt Perry 5-4 Drago bt Hunter 5-2 Robertson bt Gray 5-2 Hann bt Hamilton 5-1 Quarter-finals Lee bt O'Sullivan 5-4 Maguire bt Higgins 5-3 White bt Robertson 5-3 Drago bt Hann 5-1 Semi-finals Maguire bt Lee 6-4 White bt Drago 6-4 Final Maguire bt White 9-3 World Snooker - 8/3/2004 |
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