JOHN HIGGINS has made a “massive” change to his game for the Scottish Open.
The four-time world champion beat Ian Burns 4-2 in the first round in Edinburgh yesterday.
RexJohn Higgins has made a major change for the Scottish Open[/caption]
And after sealing victory, he told Eurosport about his decision to change the size of his cue tip.
Higgins explained: “I’ve gone back to a smaller tip and that is why I’m getting a bit more bite on the white.
“In the last few years I’ve been getting a 9.7mm or 9.8mm diameter tip.
“That is not good enough for these tables. It’s massive and it doesn’t sound much but I’m down to 9.4mm or 9.5mm.
“It is pretty similar to what a lot of the tours are on and I’m really happy with it.
“I’ve tinkered all these years. It would be different if I had stuck with one cue all these years. But I have not.”
Higgins revealed he went to the factory they are made at after the International Championship in China last month.
He said: “I picked one up and it was absolutely beautiful.”
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Higgins faces defending champion and fellow legend Ronnie O’Sullivan in the first round of the Masters in January.
On the blockbuster match-up, Higgins said: “I was in the house with the family and said that I fancied getting Ronnie – and it came out.
“I’m looking forward to it because you don’t know many more times that you’re going to play there.
“I have not played Ronnie in a while, it should be a good occasion.
“It is one in the memory bank to look forward to.”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
1969 – John Spencer
1970 – Ray Reardon
1971 – John Spencer
1972 – Alex Higgins
1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
1977 – John Spencer (2)
1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
1979 – Terry Griffiths
1980 – Cliff Thorburn
1981 – Steve Davis
1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
1983 – Steve Davis (2)
1984 – Steve Davis (3)
1985 – Dennis Taylor
1986 – Joe Johnson
1987 – Steve Davis (4)
1988 – Steve Davis (5)
1989 – Steve Davis (6)
1990 – Stephen Hendry
1991 – John Parrott
1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
1997 – Ken Doherty
1998 – John Higgins
1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
2000 – Mark Williams
2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
2002 – Peter Ebdon
2003 – Mark Williams (2)
2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
2005 – Shaun Murphy
2006 – Graeme Dott
2007 – John Higgins (2)
2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
2009 – John Higgins (3)
2010 – Neil Robertson
2011 – John Higgins (4)
2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
2014 – Mark Selby
2015 – Stuart Bingham
2016 – Mark Selby (2)
2017 – Mark Selby (3)
2018 – Mark Williams (3)
2019 – Judd Trump
2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
2021 – Mark Selby (4)
2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
2023 – Luca Brecel
2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
2 – Alex Higgins
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