Northern Ireland Open final recap - Kyren Wilson claims 11th ranking title with landslide win to pass Jimmy White

Kyren Wilson was perfect in the second session against Jak Jones to win 9-2 and secure his first ranking title since March last year.

Heading into the evening, all Wilson needed were three frames as he lead the Welshman 6-2.

Wilson was quick to kick off the scoring, winning the ninth and tenth frames in a few scrappy visits. 

There was a bit of hope for Jones when he pot a fantastic long red in the eleventh frame to start his visit. 

But a mistake soon saw the 2024 world champion regain control and it was a smooth path to victory from there with a break of 75.

It was a dominant win for Wilson, who held his opponent to a mere 21 points in this session to lift the Alex Higgins Trophy for the second time in three years. 

With this victory, Wilson will take eighth in the world rankings and pass Jimmy White on the all-time list of ranking title-holders, while Jones rises to No. 18 with the runner-up's prize of £45,000.

"Jimmy's a hero of mine. I call him the Godfather of Snooker.

"I remember when I was a kid, we were going out to a tournament in Riga and he was on the airport shuttle bus. As the guy dropped him off, he shook his hand and slipped him a fiver, and I was like, "he's the coolest guy on the planet!"

"I was only a kid, so I was desperate to equal him, and now, to obviously go to 11, it's fantastic, but I don't want to stop there."

"I've got a shiver down my spine. I give it my all all of the time. I love this tournament, I love the fans in Belfast, I love the venue. I love the Guinness! It's just a cracking addition to our World Snooker Tour, it always brings the best out in me.

"It's just great to win again. I've won a few tournaments recently, but they have been invitational, so I'm sliding down the rankings. It's been great to defend my two years' worth of points, and not only that, it's the manner I've done it. I feel like I've done it on my terms this week. I've really played attacking snooker, and I hope people have enjoyed it."

"Kyren was playing so well. It's easy for me to blame myself, but Kyren's been the best player all week and he played far better than me today.

"I can't complain about the start of the season. I think I've got a long way to go to get to the likes of Kyren and [the others]. I've got to keep practicing and hopefully I'll be able to compete with him one day.

Jones in huge trouble as Wilson passes a half ton, and Wilson confirms it shortly after as he takes frame ball on 63.

He'll go for the century for fun now, but it won't be as he misses a red. Kyren Wilson wins his second crown in Belfast, and his 11th ranking title!

Jones will be clinging on to the fact that the black is safe on the left cushion. But all he can do now is wait for a mistake from Wilson as his score climbs.

Good split, and Wilson is helped by the fact that pink is being respot on black.

Jones is in with a brilliant long red, and follows it with the brown. There's a gap between the pink and the bulk of the pack, a red that could go to the left corner pocket. But he chooses a rest shot instead down the right, and now we wonder if that was the right shot as he misses the black trying to split the pack.

Wilson pots into the middle.

Jones to break for the 11th frame. Can he hold off Wilson?

Wilson polishes off the reds, but he won't be making the clearance as he misses the yellow. One more frame stands between him and the title, and it's hard to imagine Jones putting up much of a fight after the last two frames.

Jones with another failed crack at a risky plant and this time Wilson has a short red. All the earlier misses have pushed the reds across the whole table, and Wilson picks them off easily now.

Four more reds, Wilson needs one more for frame ball - he sinks it neatly into the green pocket. There's no fighting for this one now as Wilson pushes his total higher and higher.

Jones is going for every chance he gets, but he hasn't been able to make many of them count at all. Luckily for the Welshman, Wilson isn't having the best day with the yellow pocket either, he's wide on his shot.

Jones tries a plant in the pack, but misses it by a mile.

34 for Wilson, not quite the heights we saw from the afternoon session. The black stays out and now the right corner pocket is blocked off.

Jones catches the green on his safety attempt and Wilson fires a long red into the left. He collects the black, but it blocks him off from the red he was angling for before the respot. He has to go up the table now, and he clips the near jaw. End of break.

Bad news for Jones as Wilson manages to capitalise on his missed red to yellow pocket. He crosses his arms briefly as he returns to his chair, evidently still upset about his lack of performance today.

Wilson meanwhile is making the chance count.

Jones takes the first leap, and a kiss off another red sees an opportunity open for Wilson. But his attempt refuses to drop, and Jones has a second chance.

He pots, but it's a bad shot. The cue ball comes back to sit next to the yellow, and he's forced to take on the black from distance.

He pots it well, but he can't get the yellow pocket next to allow Wilson back in.

Decent safeties from Jones, and now Wilson gives him an opportunity for a long red down the right. He overcuts it and hands a chance back to Wilson - clean.

It's not a big visit, but it's enough to stop Jones from wanting to fight for the frame.

Wilson pulls his advantage to a very concerning five.

Referee Rob Spencer briefly calling out for security as the phone owner hasn't managed to keep their notifications under control.

Only six reds left on the table now, three around the black. Wilson has had to work with the blue and pink so far, oh but it's foul and end of break!

He was trying to knock it free after cutting a red to the right corner pocket, and the crowd groans as the black rolls into the left.

Tricky long red for Jones, it's not far off but the jaws keep it out. It looks like a sure bet for Wilson, but he tries too much with the cue ball and he misses!

Good positional shot by Wilson, needing to bring the cue ball back from baulk after a shot on the blue.

A phone is causing some disturbance in the audience, but Wilson is undeterred as he triples his lead.

Jones' break-off leaves Wilson a long red, and he pots it in a continuation of his electric performance so far. But he gets a bad kiss shortly after to end his visit.

Jones' safety is poor, and Wilson is clearly feeling confident as he takes a chance on another long red. Thankfully for him, he finds the centre of the left corner pocket.

Off we go once more, Jones will break to get us started in the second session.

Wilson was in good form earlier this afternon from start to end. Having defeated Sam Craigie in the early session yesterday, it seems like the extra rest has done him a world of good compared to Jones, who only finished just before midnight.