John Higgins is £150,000 richer after winning the European Series bonus on Saturday in Gibraltar.
The Scot may have exited the Gibraltar Open in the third round, but subsequent defeats for his rivals have ensured he finishes the series on top.
Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, and Ricky Walden each stood a chance of usurping the Scot heading into the final day of competition.
Walden’s last-16 victory against Trump duly ended the chances of the reigning European Series champion, while Robertson exited in the same round after being downed by Jak Jones.
Walden could have collected the lucrative pot with success in the tournament, but the Englishman was denied in hard-fought semi-final battle with Kyren Wilson.
It means that Higgins ends the European Series campaign with a total of £98,000 from the eight counting events on the calendar.
Mark Allen finished on the same tally, but the Northern Irishman agonisingly missed out on the spoils on countback.
Higgins’ glory was built on consistency, as for the first time the European Series bonus goes to a contender who didn’t actually win any silverware.
Three runners-up positions, though, in the first three Home Nations tournaments in Northern Ireland, England, and Scotland built the foundation that Higgins was ultimately able to support his challenge on.
Wilson, meanwhile, will take on Robert Milkins in the Gibraltar Open final later on Saturday evening.
The Kettering cueist, a finalist two years ago, could dampen the mood of Higgins if he ends up triumphing at the Europa Point Sports Complex.
That’s because the £50,000 champion’s cheque would prove enough to see Wilson qualify for next week’s Tour Championship at the expense of the four-time world champion.
Milkins, on the other hand, bids for a maiden ranking crown in what would be another shock result in a season full of them.
Featured photo credit: WST
