John Higgins has no memory of UK Championship win and can only remember amazing afterparty

dailyrecord.co.uk:

John Higgins’ memory bank is a little hazy when it comes to his maiden UK Championship triumph.In fairness, it was 26 years ago and was followed by a night of heavy partying. “None at all,” he admits when asked about his recollections of that victory in Bournemouth in 1998, which came a few months after he won his first of four world titles at the Crucible.“Matthew Stevens in the final,” says Higgins questioningly, not looking entirely sure.

Stevens was indeed the runner-up on that occasion. “All I can remember is having a great party after it. Me, Matthew and our dads, we had a right good drink and a right good party.“Back in the day, that’s what you used to do at tournaments.

Win or lose, you enjoyed it. It’s not the same anymore.”His memories of his two subsequent UK Championship wins are far more vivid, both coming against old rival Mark Williams in 2000 and 2010, the latter being a 10-9 cliffhanger.“The one that would stand out would be 2010,” he recalls Higgins, who begins his 2024 UK campaign against He Guoqiang on Tuesday. “I was 9-5 behind and came back and won 10-9.

That was a great victory for me.”As a member of snooker’s famed ‘Class of 92’ with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Williams, Higgins has seen the game change immensely.