Gary Wilson claimed his first snooker ranking title with a commanding victory over fellow Englishman Joe O’Connor in the final of the Scottish Open final in Edinburgh.
Wilson compiled two centuries and missed the black for a third in the final frame as he completed a 9-2 win to capture the Stephen Hendry Trophy and first prize of £80,000.
“I’m absolutely over the moon,” the 37-year-old from Wallsend said at the presentation ceremony broadcast on Eurosport.
“I’m well into my career now and the longer it goes on you think ‘Am I ever going to win one?’, and especially with the run of form I’ve had the last couple of years.
“I’ve never even looked like getting anywhere near this stage; it’s absolutely unbelievable to be honest.
“I’m just so so happy. I’ve worked so hard for so many years, been in so many situations where I thought it would never come.”
Wilson, who had lost his previous two ranking finals in the 2015 China Open and 2021 British Open, made the ideal start with a century in the opening frame before O’Connor levelled the scores with a break of 99 in the second.
O’Connor was also in first in frame three but missed a vital pink on 64 and Wilson produced a superb 67 clearance to edge back in front.
Wilson also won the fourth frame to lead 3-1 at the mid-session interval before O’Connor reduced his deficit, but breaks of 102 and 74 helped Wilson take a 6-2 advantage into the evening session.
O’Connor had beaten Zhao Xintong, Ding Junhui, Mark Williams, Ricky Walden and Neil Robertson to reach his first ranking final but could not forge a comeback and Wilson won the three frames he needed for victory.
“I’ve had an amazing week, beat a lot of top 16 players and unfortunately today I didn’t play my best,” O’Connor said. “But congratulations to Gary, he played amazing and fully deserved the win.”
