Jack Lisowski produced one of the finest breaks of his career in a tense deciding frame to edge John Higgins 6-5 and book his place in the final of the Welsh Open. The victory also guaranteed him a lucrative £150,000 bonus.
The bonus is awarded to the top earner across the four Home Nations events, and Mark Allen had led the standings since claiming the English Open last September. Lisowski needed to reach the final in Llandudno to surpass him — and did so in dramatic fashion, finishing with a decisive break reminiscent of Alex Higgins’ memorable 1982 World Championship semi-final contribution.
The windfall marks the largest payday of Lisowski’s career, surpassing the £100,000 he earned for lifting the Northern Ireland Open in October. He now faces Barry Hawkins over 17 frames on Sunday for the Ray Reardon Trophy, with the opportunity to double his tally of ranking titles this season.
The BetVictor Series bonus has previously been won by Judd Trump (three times), Higgins, Robert Milkins and Neil Robertson, with Lisowski now joining that list.
The 34-year-old from Gloucestershire advances to his eighth ranking final, with potential qualification for the Tour Championship in Manchester and the World Championship at the Crucible also at stake.
Higgins controlled the early exchanges to lead 3-1, but Lisowski responded after the interval with swift breaks of 95, 79 and 138 to move ahead 4-3. The match remained finely poised, reaching 5-5 before the decider. There, Lisowski compiled a superb 78, confidently navigating difficult pots to seal victory.
Reflecting on the win, Lisowski described it as one of the most pressurised yet satisfying frames of his career, admitting he had been tense all day due to the bonus implications. He also acknowledged the challenge of resetting mentally for the final, emphasising how much another title would mean after a recent dip in confidence.
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