Name John "The Wizard of Wishaw" Higgins Born 18th May 1975 Turned Pro 1992 Current Rank 6 Highest Rank 1 (1998 to 1999) Highest Break 147 (five times - 2000 Nations Cup, 2000 Benson & Hedges Irish Masters, 2003 LG Cup, 2003 British Open, 2004 totesport Grand Prix)       Higgins was a promising snooker junior, winning the junior title at the 1991 Mita World Masters, beating none other than future rival Mark J Williams. In 1992 he turned pro and with good company, it being the same year that Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark J Williams both graduated to the professional circuit. John’s first couple of seasons were quiet, reaching the rank of 122 in 92/93 and then up to 51 in 93/94…... Judging by the last two seasons, no one could predict what was going to happen the next season. In the 94/95 John Higgins really made a name for himself! He won the Grand Prix (beat Dave Harold 9-6), the International Open (beat Steve Davis 9-5) and the British Open (beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-6), making him the first teenager to win three ranking events in one season! And just for the record, he was also runner up in the Regal Welsh and the Benson & Hedges Masters, amazing for someone ranked 51 in the world! He was now ranked 11th and in the following season made at least the quarter-finals in every ranking tournament, bar two. The next two seasons he was ranked No.2 in the world, performing solidly and picking up ranking points all over the place. The 97/98 season was one he will remember for the rest of his life. After coming runner-up in the Grand Prix, Malta Grand Prix, UK Championship, Regal Welsh and the Scottish Open and also taking the German Open, Charity Challenge and British Open in the season, he was on his way to the World Championships. There was a very slim chance that he could take the No.1 ranking spot, if Stephen Hendry (then ranked No.1) lost in the first round, but how likely was that? Well, Jimmy White obliged! Putting the (then) 6 times world champion out of the tournament! Higgins fought his way to take the title, beating Ken Doherty 18-12 in the final and moving to No.1 in the rankings for the first time ever in his career! John comfortably held on to his No.1 ranking the following year but lost it to Mark J Williams in the 99/00 season. Higgins has continued to pick up titles all over the place in the last few years and has been in the top 5 highest ranked players since. His fifteen world ranking titles at the start of this season (04/05) ties him third (with Mark J Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan) in the all time total titles won list (behind Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis)