Hawkins wins Down Under
Barry Hawkins crushed Peter Ebdon 9-3 to win the Australian Goldfields Open title in his maiden ranking final.
Last Updated: 15/07/12 3:58pm
Barry Hawkins crushed Peter Ebdon 9-3 to win the Australian Goldfields Open title in his maiden ranking final.
Ebdon, the 2002 world champion, has been in tremendous form over the last year and would have been in buoyant mood lining up against Hawkins for the final in Bendigo, Victoria.
But after despatching world No. 7 Shaun Murphy in the semi-finals, the 42-year-old Ebdon rarely troubled Hawkins on Sunday.
And although he had chances to extend the contest when trailing 8-3, the 33-year-old world No 23 jumped back in to secure the honours.
Hawkins led 5-3 at the end of the afternoon session and powered home in the evening winning all four frames to clinch victory.
So dominant was Hawkins that at one stage he reeled off consecutive 106 and 114 breaks to open a 4-1 lead.
It was a magnificent effort by Hawkins, who clinched the 2012 Snooker Shoot-Out crown in January after overcoming former world champion Graeme Dott in the final.