snooker.org Frontpage
Home: Tournaments: 2023/2024: What's new | Live | Results | Upcoming | Finals | Calendar | Main Tour players | All players | Match stats
Twitter

Alex Higgins

Nationality: Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland); Male; Born: 18 Mar 1949 (74 years) Died: 24 Jul 2010 (13 years)
Status: Amateur; First season as pro: 1971; Last season as pro: 1996; Ranking wins: 1;


1996/1997
World Championship Qual (3 Jan - 25 Mar 1997)
Q Rd 4 England Darren Limburg (a) 10-9 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
1995/1996
World Championship Qual (1 Jan - 22 Mar 1996)
Q Rd 2 England Surinder Gill (a) 10-7 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
1994/1995
World Championship Qual (4-20 Jan 1995)
Q Rd 2 Thailand Tai Pichit (a) 10-5 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
1993/1994
World Championship (16 Apr - 2 May 1994)
Rd 1 Ireland Ken Doherty (a) 10-6 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
Two-time world champion Higgins qualified for the championship for the last time.
World Championship Qual (8-19 Jan 1994)
Q Rd 4 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-9 England Tony Knowles (a) Head to head
Q Rd 3 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-5 England Andrew Cairns (a)  
Q Rd 2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-9 England Colin Kelly (a)  
1992/1993
World Championship Qual (20 Jun - 24 Sep 1992)
Q Rd 3 England Brian Morgan (a) 10-1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
Q Rd 2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-5 Canada Kirk Stevens (a) Head to head
Q Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-9 Scotland Murdo MacLeod (a)  
1991/1992
World Championship Qual (21-30 Mar 1992)
Q Rd 2 Scotland Alan McManus (a) 10-7 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
Q Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-6 England Paul Gibson (a)  
World Seniors Championship (18-22 Sep 1991)
Rd 1 South Africa Silvino Francisco (a) 5-4 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
1989/1990
World Championship (13-29 Apr 1990)
Rd 1 England Steve James (a) 10-5 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
in frame 11, James was awarded a free ball, before any reds had been potted. In taking a baulk colour as an extra red ball and compiling a total clearance of 135 the break became so far the only 16-red clearance at the Crucible.
After the match, Higgins punched an official in the stomach at the post-match press conference. This, alongside a threat to have Dennis Taylor shot at the 1990 World Cup a month earlier, led to Higgins being banned for the entire 1990/1991 season.
1987/1988
World Championship (16 Apr - 2 May 1988)
Rd 1 Malta Tony Drago (a) 10-2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
Higgins lost his place in the elite top 16 of the snooker world rankings for the first time since rankings were introduced in 1976.
Masters (24-31 Jan 1988)
QF England Mike Hallett (a) 5-2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-4 England Tony Knowles (a) Head to head
1986/1987
World Championship (18 Apr - 4 May 1987)
Rd 2 Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 13-10 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-6 England Jon Wright (a)  
Masters (25 Jan - 1 Feb 1987)
Final Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) 9-8 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Taylor trailed 5-8.

63-37, 16-89 (56), 49-69, 89-41, 69-33 (65), 48-74, 73-11, 60-40 (60), 22-66, 53-30, 0-113 (98), 63-77, 25-92 (88), 61-50, 118-9 (74), 50-40, 82-0

Referee: John Smyth
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 6-2 England Tony Meo (a) Head to head
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-1 England Joe Johnson (a)  
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-4 Wales Terry Griffiths (a) Head to head
1985/1986
World Championship (19 Apr - 5 May 1986)
Rd 2 Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 13-12 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Alex Higgins missed a black ball from its spot that would have put him 6�2 ahead of Terry Griffiths at the end of their first session.
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-7 England John Spencer (a)  
Masters (26 Jan - 2 Feb 1986)
Rd 1 Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 5-4 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
1984/1985
World Championship (12-28 Apr 1985)
Rd 2 Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 13-7 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-4 England Dean Reynolds (a) Head to head
Masters (27 Jan - 3 Feb 1985)
QF Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 5-1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-4 England Steve Davis (a) Head to head
1983/1984
World Championship (21 Apr - 7 May 1984)
Rd 1 England Neal Foulds (a) 10-9 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
Foulds' 1st time at the Crucible
Masters (22-29 Jan 1984)
QF England Tony Knowles (a) 5-1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-2 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) Head to head
1982/1983
World Championship (16 Apr - 2 May 1983)
SF England Steve Davis (a) 16-5 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
At the mid-session interval, the Crucible Theatre was evacuated due to a death threat against Davis that had been telephoned to the venue, saying that he would be shot if he won a tenth frame.
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 13-11 Canada Bill Werbeniuk (a) Head to head
At 46 points ahead in the third frame, Higgins attempted to play a snooker behind the pink and was annoyed by referee John Williams, who awarded a foul against him as the cue ball had not touched the pink. After protestations from Higgins, Williams asked the match scorers for a second opinion, and the decision stood. Werbeniuk then made a break of 57 and won the frame.
Rd 2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 13-8 England Willie Thorne (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-4 England Dean Reynolds (a) Head to head
Masters (23-30 Jan 1983)
Rd 1 Canada Bill Werbeniuk (a) 5-4 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
1981/1982
World Championship (30 Apr - 16 May 1982)
Final Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 18-15 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
Reardon, a six-time champion, had never lost in the world championship final. It was Higgins's fourth world final following his win in 1972 and his losing appearances in the 1976 and 1980 finals.

Session 1:
61-41, 31-64, 47-84 (64), 121-0 (118), 53-64, 30-77, 55-65, 87-28

Session 2:
89-8, 8-76, 56-47, 91-22 (51), 29-69, 96-4 (66), 71-36 (58), 94-14, 73-13

Session 3:
22-122 (95), 13-81, 77-38, 78-31, 40-69, 36-79, 71-31, 37-52

Session 4:
115-14, 70-61 (54), 49-84 (53), 36-69, 58-60, 79-0, 112-9 (73), 139-0 (135)

Referee: John Smyth.
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 16-15 England Jimmy White (a)  
greatest clearance of all time in penultimate frame: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z18G0scZqQ
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 13-10 England Willie Thorne (a) Head to head
Rd 2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 13-12 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-5 England Jim Meadowcroft (a)  
Masters (26-31 Jan 1982)
SF Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 6-4 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-1 Australia Eddie Charlton (a) Head to head
1980/1981
World Championship (7-20 Apr 1981)
Rd 2 England Steve Davis (a) 13-8 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Masters (2-8 Feb 1981)
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 6-5 Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) Head to head
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-1 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) Head to head
Final Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 9-6 Wales Terry Griffiths (a) Head to head

117-10 (75), 38-69, 54-64, 62-47, 99-38, 58-31, 20-69, 69-10, 77-37, 75-39, 113-5, 0-136 (136), 31-97, 51-62, 85-48

Referee: John Smyth
Champion of Champions Group A (2-11 Oct 1980)
Grp Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-4 Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) Head to head
Grp Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-4 Wales Terry Griffiths (a) Head to head
Grp Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) 7-2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Grp England Graham Miles (a) 5-4 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
1979/1980
World Championship (22-5 May 1980)
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 16-13 Canada Kirk Stevens (a) Head to head
Stevens was the youngest-ever world championship semi-finalist, aged 21.
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 13-9 England Steve Davis (a) Head to head
In the eighth frame, Higgins was on course to achieve a maximum break, when he became the first player in the history of the world championship to pot black balls after each of the fifteen red balls during a break. After running out of position on the fifteenth black, he managed to pot the yellow ball, but failed in an attempt to then double the green ball. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNst9pPfMWY
Rd 2 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 13-6 South Africa Perrie Mans (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 10-9 England Tony Meo (a) Head to head
Final Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) 18-16 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head

Session 1:
52-40, 46-55, 5-69, 47-61, 26-82, 13-98 (93), 74-31 (68), 0-81 (81), 62-9 (62)

Session 2:
49-61, 62-58 (AH 54, CT 53), 86-27 (76), 36-75, 45-63, 75-17, 67-45, 78-38 (57), 95-38 (64)

Session 3:
86-14, 60-21, 18-70, 27-93, 73-43, 51-74, 115-25 (58), 61-73

Session 4:
21-67, 58-47, 100-55 (CT 53), 53-55, 73-41, 57-63, 119-7 (119), 96-9 (51)

Referee: John Street
Masters (6-10 Feb 1980)
Final Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 9-5 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head

67-39, 73-30 (73), 4-81 (81), 61-68, 104-15 (77), 61-67 (TG 52), 54-55, 102-25, 63-61 (TG 53), 58-70 (AH 70, TG 58), 75-49, 117-3 (51), 67-60, 131-0 (131)

Referee: John Street
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-2 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-1 South Africa Perrie Mans (a) Head to head
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-1 England Fred Davis (a)  
1978/1979
World Championship (16-28 Apr 1979)
QF Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 13-12 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
3rd WC in a row where Higgins was defeated in a deciding frame.
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 13-5 England David Taylor (a)  
Masters (22-26 Jan 1979)
Final South Africa Perrie Mans (a) 8-4 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head

28-97, 43-69, 75-60, 69-37, 97-38, 72-29, 71-23, 87-28, 74-67, 21-90, 36-76, 62-38

Referee: John Smyth
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-1 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) Head to head
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-2 Australia Eddie Charlton (a) Head to head
Champion of Champions (2-3 Nov 1978)
Final Wales Ray Reardon (a) 11-9 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head

Session 1:
125:8 (52), 90:43 (90), 75:46, 28:108, 60:43, 20:114 (83), 13:101 (76), 104:19 (70), 1:140 (61,62), 84:22

Session 2:
78:36, 101:18 (67), 12:100, 73:48 (61), 41:90, 51:60, 23:83 (51), 30:72, 78:46 (77), 94:12

SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 6-3 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) Head to head
1977/1978
World Championship (17-29 Apr 1978)
Rd 1 Ireland Patsy Fagan (a) 13-12 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
Fagan was 10�12 behind Alex Higgins but won three close frames � on a re-spotted black, then the final black ball and, in the deciding frame, on the final pink ball
Masters (6-10 Feb 1978)
Final Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 7-5 Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) Head to head

107-7, 71-41, 94-6, 17-69, 16-104, 13-101 (88), 14-62, 84-29 (80), 58-70, 68-48, 61-47, 72-15

Referee: John Street
SF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-1 Wales Ray Reardon (a) Head to head
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 4-3 Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) Head to head
1976/1977
World Championship (18-30 Apr 1977)
Rd 1 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) 13-12 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
Masters (7-11 Feb 1977)
SF Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) 5-3 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
QF Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 4-2 South Africa Perrie Mans (a) Head to head
1975/1976
Masters (26-30 Jan 1976)
QF England Graham Miles (a) 4-1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head
1974/1975
Masters (13-17 Jan 1975)
QF England Rex Williams (a) 5-3 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a)  
Rd 1 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) 5-0 Canada Bill Werbeniuk (a) Head to head
Hide notes, framescores & icons Display notes, framescores & icons