British Open 1996

British Open 1996 Castella Classic British Open 1996
Tournament type:	World ranking tournament
Attendees:	462
Venue:	Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth , England
Opening:	April 1, 1996
Endgame:	April 8, 1996
Winner:	Nigel Bond
Finalist:	John Higgins
Highest Break:	139 ( Andy Hicks )
← 1995   1997 →

The Castella Classic British Open 1996 was a snooker tournament of the 1995/96 season that was held in Plymouth from April 1st to 8th . In the third year the players came to the Plymouth Pavilions in the south of England , for the 12th time there was the British Open. As in the previous year, the tournament was sponsored by the cigar brand Castella Classic .

Last year's winner John Higgins made it to the final for the second time in a row, but he was unable to defend his title. Nigel Bond won the final 9: 8. It was only the second time that a British Open final was decided in the Decider. For the Englishman it was the only ranked title in his career.

Main tournament

After four qualifying rounds, in which the players from 33rd place in the world rankings had participated, 32 players were left. The top 32 were placed directly for the main tournament, the 32 qualifiers were drawn for the first round.

	First round best of 9 frames					Second round best of 9 frames					Round of 16 best of 9 frames					Quarterfinals Best of 9 Frames					Semi-final best of 11 frames					Final Best of 17 frames
	1	John Higgins	5
	73	Jamie Burnett	1
						1	John Higgins	5
						29	Jason Ferguson	4th
	29	Jason Ferguson	5
	60	Steve Newbury	0
											1	John Higgins	5
											37	Stephen Lee	3
	27	Brian Morgan	2
	34	Mike Hallett	5
						34	Mike Hallett	3
						37	Stephen Lee	5
	15th	Terry Griffiths	2
	37	Stephen Lee	5
																1	John Higgins	5
																5	John Parrott	3
	23	Gary Wilkinson	5
	123	Stuart Pettman	2
						23	Gary Wilkinson	5
						42	Mark Bennett	0
	14th	Tony Drago	0
	42	Mark Bennett	5
											23	Gary Wilkinson	2
											5	John Parrott	5
	30th	Dean Reynolds	5
	115	David McDonnell	4th
						30th	Dean Reynolds	3
						5	John Parrott	5
	5	John Parrott	5
	88	Mark Rowing	3
																					1	John Higgins	6th
																					4th	Ronnie O'Sullivan	4th
	24	Tony Knowles	5
	68	Jimmy Michie	3
						24	Tony Knowles	5
						6th	James Wattana	4th
	6th	James Wattana	5
	78	Karl Broughton	2
											24	Tony Knowles	0
											39	Mark Williams	5
	28	Neal Foulds	5
	107	Yasin Merchant	4th
						28	Neal Foulds	1
						39	Mark Williams	5
	16	David Roe	4th
	39	Mark Williams	5
																39	Mark Williams	3
																4th	Ronnie O'Sullivan	5
	17th	Andy Hicks	5
	86	Chris Scanlon	1
						17th	Andy Hicks	4th
						10	Ken Doherty	5
	10	Ken Doherty	5
	132	Barry Pinches	1
											10	Ken Doherty	3
											4th	Ronnie O'Sullivan	5
	25th	Willie Thorne	4th
	190	Graeme Dott	5
						190	Graeme Dott	1
						4th	Ronnie O'Sullivan	5
	4th	Ronnie O'Sullivan	5
	122	Oliver King	2
																									1	John Higgins	8th
																										12	Nigel Bond	9
	3	Steve Davis	2
	49	Mark Johnston-Allen	5
						49	Mark Johnston-Allen	5
						31	Anthony Hamilton	4th
	31	Anthony Hamilton	5
	80	Karl Payne	2
											49	Mark Johnston-Allen	2
											13	Dave Harold	5
	21st	Mick Price	5
	45	Anthony Davies	2
						21st	Mick Price	2
						13	Dave Harold	5
	13	Dave Harold	5
	97	Antony Bolsover	2
																13	Dave Harold	5
																9	Darren Morgan	1
	8th	Jimmy White	5
	236	Matthew Stevens	3
						8th	Jimmy White	3
						38	Fergal O'Brien	5
	20th	Alain Robidoux	1
	38	Fergal O'Brien	5
											38	Fergal O'Brien	1
											9	Darren Morgan	5
	22nd	Martin Clark	5
	56	Joe Johnson	4th
						22nd	Martin Clark	4th
						9	Darren Morgan	5
	9	Darren Morgan	5
	72	Stefan Mazrocis	1
																				13	Dave Harold	5
																					12	Nigel Bond	6th
	26th	Steve James	5
	54	Mark Flowerdew	1
						26th	Steve James	4th
						7th	Alan McManus	5
	7th	Alan McManus	5
	154	Steve Meakin	3
											7th	Alan McManus	1
											11	Peter Ebdon	5
	32	Dennis Taylor	5
	40	Rod Lawler	0
						32	Dennis Taylor	4th
						11	Peter Ebdon	5
	11	Peter Ebdon	5
	221	Pat Horne	3
																11	Peter Ebdon	3
																12	Nigel Bond	5
	18th	Dene O'Kane	5
	76	Matthew Couch	2
						18th	Dene O'Kane	1
						12	Nigel Bond	5
	12	Nigel Bond	5
	64	Paul McPhillips	0
											12	Nigel Bond	5
											2	Stephen Hendry	4th
	19th	Joe Swail	5
	33	Billy Snaddon	2
						19th	Joe Swail	1
						2	Stephen Hendry	5
	2	Stephen Hendry	5
	61	Terry Murphy	1

final

Final: Best of 17 Frames Referee: Len Ganley Plymouth Pavilions,  Plymouth , England , April 8, 1996
John Higgins	8: 9	Nigel Bond
Afternoon : 56: 71 , 4: 96 (61), 64: 65 , 64 : 53 (56), 47: 79 (79), 72 : 18, 102 : 17 (66), 91 : 0 (91); Evening : 0: 89 (89), 60 : 30, 30: 99 (50), 56 : 55, 0: 72 , 97 : 0 (97), 6: 122 (122), 128 : 8 (75), 69 : 71
97	Highest break	122
-	Century breaks	1
5	50+ breaks	5

swell

1. ↑ British Open Including British Gold Cup, Yamaha Organs Trophy and Yamaha International Masters. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive, archived from the original on February 16, 2012 ; accessed on November 13, 2019 . 
2. ↑ 1996 British Open. In: CueTracker Snooker Results & Statistics Database. Ron Florax, accessed November 13, 2019 . 
3. ^ Castella Classic British Open. snooker.org, accessed November 13, 2019 . 
4. ↑ Rankings - 1995-1996. In: CueTracker Snooker Results & Statistics Database. Ron Florax, accessed November 13, 2019 .