Kyren Wilson wins the 2026 Northern Ireland Open snooker title at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

Wilson defeated Jak Jones, 9-2, in the final to reclaim The Alex Higgins Trophy that he first claimed two years ago and collect the champion’s purse of £100,000.

This latest triumph for current Masters champion Wilson represents the 11th ranking accolade of his career, putting him 12th on the all-time list of most decorated winners in that category.

Both Wilson and Jones reached this year’s Waterfront endgame after emerging from semi-final epics that were both resolved on the final balls of a deciding frame.

In what was the same line-up as the 2024 World Snooker Championship final, Englishman Wilson began Sunday's title decider in style with a 101 in the opening frame.

Jones - aiming to win his third tournament of the season - levelled with the aid of a 72, but scored just 10 points across the next three frames as Wilson registered runs of 60 and 135 either side of the mid-session interval for a 4-1 lead.

An effort of 130 in frame six saw Jones emphatically stop his opponent's momentum, but an impressive Wilson was soon scoring again, breaks of 67 and 105 putting him 6-2 ahead at the end of the afternoon session.

On resumption three hours later, Jones needed a fast start, but Wilson chalked up a low-scoring ninth frame before going to the brink at 8-2 up.

And the 34-year-old completed a resounding victory, wrapping up proceedings with an effort of 75 in frame 11.

In the updated world rankings, Wilson will remain ninth, as he defends the same six-figure first prize he pocketed here in 2024.

This latest victory in the Northern Irish capital is a very timely boost for Wilson - his first ranked success since the Players Championship in March 2025.

From then until this week, Wilson hadn’t featured in the last four of a ranking competition, and as a consequence is at risk of falling outside of the world’s top 16 later this season and being forced to qualify for the 2027 World Championship. That threat has now been significantly reduced.

A quarter-finalist at the English Open in Brentwood last month, Wilson moves to the top of this season’s Home Nations Series order of merit race. The player with the most cumulative prize money across all four stops - with Scottish and Welsh Opens to come - will cash in the £150,000 bonus.

Perhaps the mental fatigue of late finishes in each of the three previous nights - including deciding frame wins over Scott Donaldson and Mark Williams in the last eight and four respectively - took its toll on an under par Jones.

Whilst no doubt disappointed not to add to his CV, Welshman Jones has already enjoyed a career-changing campaign with his maiden ranking honour coming at the Championship League in July followed by his second just weeks later at the British Open.