Stephen Maguire won the seventh ranking title of his career, and first since 2020, by beating Joe O’Connor 3-1 in the final of the BetVictor Championship League in Leicester.

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It’s the perfect start to the season for Scotland’s 44-year-old Maguire as he lifted the trophy at the first ranking event of the new campaign, earning £33,000 and a place in November’s Sportsbet.io Champion of Champions at the same venue.

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World number 27 Maguire showed signs of a return to form at last season’s BetVictor Welsh Open when he was runner-up to Mark Selby, and he has now gone one step further by landing his first ranking crown since the 2020 Tour Championship. Seven titles moves him one ahead of Stuart Bingham, Ken Doherty and Ali Carter on the all-time list.

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“I’m just relieved, it has been a long event, I have been up and down the motorway a few times but it’s a good reward in the end,” said Maguire, who turned pro back in 1998 and won the UK Championship in 2004. “It felt different today because there were eight players left and we knew someone was going home with the trophy. To be the last man standing and to win a title this early in the season, I’m delighted. It gives me a head start qualifying for the World Grand Prix and other events and gives me extra confidence.”

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Leicester’s 29-year-old O’Connor narrowly missed out on a first ranking title and has now lost in three finals.

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O’Connor had an early chance in the opening frame but missed a red which was close to a top corner, and Maguire punished him with a break of 85. In frame two, O’Connor led 32-0 when he ran out of position, and Maguire – who has been playing with a new cue for the past two weeks – later made 61 which proved enough for 2-0.

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An excellent run of 99 saw O’Connor pull one back. But early in frame four, Maguire slotted in a cracking long red and went on to make a match-winning 89.

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Earlier in the round robin phase, Maguire finished top of his group ahead of Ben Mertens, Pang Junxu and Matthew Selt, while O’Connor topped his group ahead of Ricky Walden, Tom Ford and Xu Si.

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Article by WST.

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