Players Tour Championship 2011/2012 – Event 8
The Alex Higgins International Trophy 2011 was the eighth event of the Players Tour Championship 2011/12. The snooker tournament was held from 20 to 23 October 2011 at the Killarney Convention Centre in Killarney Ireland. The tournament was in memory of the Northern Irish double world champion Alex Higgins, who had died the year before.
Although the tournament took place geographically in the British Isles, it was one of the six "European" Events of PTC. Firstly, this was important because you had to have participated in three UK and three European events for a place in the overall standings. Secondly, even the e- PTC tournaments of Euro sports are televised. 205 players have registered for the tournament, 51 of which came from Ireland, 16 more from Northern Ireland. In addition to Ken Doherty and Fergal O'Brien and David Morris and David Hogan were among the four Irish among the top 96 of the tournament, the Northern Irish top players were Mark Allen, Joe Swail, Gerard Greene and Joe Meara. All games were played in best-of -7 mode.
- 2.1 Round 3 to knockout round 2.1.1 Group 1
- 2.1.2 Group 2
- 2.1.3 Group 3
- 2.1.4 Group 4
- 2.1.5 Group 5
- 2.1.6 Group 6
- 2.1.7 Group 7
- 2.1.8 Group 8
Preliminary round
For the 32 available places in the main tournament, 109 players had advertised. In two rounds, which took place on October 20th 2011, the main round participants were determined.
19 players were already set for round 2, the remaining 90 players found the 45 other participants in the second round. Together, there were 64 candidates, then playing off the 32 round main participants.
Disappointing was the preliminary competition, with 19 rejections that a new record has been reached. So for two players came with the two Englishmen Mike Hallett and Mitchell man through both preliminary rounds to the main tournament, without having been at the snooker table. Biggest surprise was the defeat of ex -Main Tour players Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon against the Northern Irishman Julian Logue, who then managed the leap to the main tournament.
Round 1
The winners are highlighted in bold, small. means that the player is fed without a fight ( by non-appearance of the enemy ) in the next round.
Round 2
Finals
With the third round of the tournament the main tournament began with 128 participants. The upper half ( groups 1-4), the set list was from rounds 3-5 on Friday, October 21, the lower half ( groups 5-8) was on Saturday at the tables. The last four laps from the second round until the final round were carried out on the final Sunday.
Skip to Main tournament then appeared almost the whole world's elite. Ding Junhui was the only top -16 player who had not reported the highest loss was placed Anthony Hamilton.
A new false start caught Mark Williams. The world number two, who was still sixth in the PTC rating in the previous year, lost for the fifth time in the first round and never came across this PTC series about the Round of 64. Ali Carter also had this season have not had much luck with the tour and failed after the cancellation of his opening opponent in round 2 to Ken Doherty. This was the only Irishman at the home event at the last 16 Ronnie O'Sullivan continued his erratic performances this season continued. Twice he had won a Tour event and came as the leader of the Tour standings after Killarney. This time in the second round was the main conclusion: for the third time in the season. For Shaun Murphy, who had recently been twice in the quarter finals, the tournament was already finished again in Round 3 at this time. His Scottish opponent Alan McManus came to the last eight, his hitherto best PTC result at all.
Round 3 to knockout round
The winners are highlighted in bold, small. means that the player is fed without a fight ( by non-appearance of the enemy ) in the next round.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Group 7
Group 8
Quarter-finals to finals
Judd Trump, who had come very confident in the final day after starting difficulties, ended in his first Sunday game the triumph of Alan McManus. Even more convincing Neil Robertson was moved into the quarter-finals, he had made up to that point only two frames and also Ben Woollaston smooth defeated 4-0. A contested quarterfinal match, there was between the world ranking third John Higgins and the last remaining participants of the island of Ireland Mark Allen. The Northern Irishman was able to prevail 4-3 and then gave Robertson also a tough battle, but lost the semi-final despite lead in the seventh frame but still with 3:4. Also, the particularly strong this season Stuart Bingham had come with only three frame losses in the last eight and went there against the world number one Mark Selby also over the full distance. Ultimately, Selby won. In the semi-final against Judd Trump but he was then quickly back 2-0 and could only win one frame before the young star who always came in better roles after streaky start to the season, winning 4-1.
In the final, so there were two players who had already won this season before a PTC event and thus it was already clear that there would be a second double winner on the tour to Ronnie O'Sullivan. There was a contested, high-class match in which both players sought the quick beginners, but also because many unclean touches of the ball hardly came in part to high breaks. After a tight first frame, which went to Neil Robertson, the two players shared the next two frames with clearer results. The fourth frame was again very tight and it was decided with the pink ball. Once again, the Australians had the better end and Judd Trump was thus 1:3 back. In the fifth frame Robertson was enough then a break of 65 points to take the victory and thus perfect to take over the lead in the Tour standings. It was his eighth win in his eighth final appearance in a ranking tournament.