Nigel Bond is an English professional who reached a career-high world ranking of number five, finishing runner-up at the World Championship in 1995 and winning the 1996 British Open as the lone ranking title of his career.
Nigel Bond – Career Snapshot
| Date of birth: | 15 November 1965 |
| Nationality: | England |
| Turned professional: | 1989 |
| Highest world ranking: | No. 5 |
| Ranking titles: | 1 |
| World Championship titles: | 0 |
| Triple Crown titles: | 0 |
| Masters appearances: | 7 |
| Maximum 147 breaks: | 0 |
Nigel Bond’s Snooker Career
Nigel Bond beat Barry Pinches to win the English Amateur Championship in 1989 and turned professional shortly after. By the end of his third season on the main tour, he was already ranked inside the world’s top ten. For a handful of years, the player known as 00-147 was regarded as among the best of the rest – not quite at the level of the sport’s biggest stars but a consistent presence nonetheless.
Bond reached his first ranking final in only his second season on the pro circuit, losing to Stephen Hendry in the Grand Prix title decider of 1990. It was the same formidable opponent who prevented Bond from becoming world champion in 1995, losing 18-9 to Hendry in that year’s Crucible final. Two further disappointments in ranking event finals followed in 1995 and 1997 – both in Thailand – but in between those came Bond’s greatest career moment.
At the 1996 British Open, he beat Hendry en route to the final where he upset another Scot, John Higgins, in a deciding-frame thriller to secure his one and only ranking trophy. These performances helped Bond reach a career-high ranking of number five in the world, and it was around this time when he also captured notable invitational titles at the Malta Grand Prix and the Scottish Masters.
Soon after, however, his form began to decline and by the turn of the century he had slipped outside the world’s top 16. Bond continued to compete strongly on the main tour, but his time contesting the latter rounds of competitions were largely over.
That was, of course, until the inaugural Snooker Shoot Out in 2011, where Bond beat the clock to go all the way to glory in what was then a non-ranking tournament. After losing his tour card in 2022 at the age of 56, Bond called time on a creditable 33-year career in snooker’s top flight.
Nigel Bond’s Ranking Titles
Nigel Bond won 1 ranking title during his professional career.
| Year | Tournament |
|---|---|
| 1996 | British Open |
Other Major Titles and Notable Wins
- Snooker Shoot Out (2011)
- Scottish Masters (1997)
- Malta Grand Prix (1996)
- King’s Cup (1992)
- World Games (2009)
- World Seniors Championship (2012)
Nigel Bond and the Triple Crown
Nigel Bond won 0 Triple Crown titles during his professional career.
- World Championship: 0 titles
- UK Championship: 0 titles
- Masters: 0 titles
SHQ Star Rating: ★★★★
SnookerHQ uses a seven-point star scale based on the scoring values of snooker balls, with a black (7) representing the highest career classification. Ratings are assigned using career achievements, longevity, and historical impact.
Nigel Bond: ★★★★
SHQ Star Rating: How it works →
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Featured photo credit: WST