Neil Robertson claimed the 2012 BGC Masters after seeing off Shaun Murphy 10-6 in the final at Alexandra Palace.
Australian secures his seventh victory in as many rankings finals
Neil Robertson claimed the 2012 BGC Masters after seeing off Shaun Murphy 10-6 in the final at Alexandra Palace.
The Australian held a 5-3 lead after the opening session and then returned to the table in the evening to take four successive frames, leaving him on the brink of glory at 9-4.
Although Murphy did threaten a comeback, getting two frames back, a run of 70 in the 16th clinched Robertson his seventh victory in the seven rankings finals he has contested.
"After the World Championship this is the tournament I really wanted to win," he said. "My path to the final definitely hasn't been easy but I've stuck to it, played some really good stuff and I'm over the moon.
"At the start of the season I wanted to get to the latter stages of most of the events.
"To win the Masters has made the season for me really."
Edged ahead
The world number four had edged himself in front at the midway stage by taking a tense eighth frame, even though he had missed a simple blue to end a break of 60.
Murphy needed to respond early in the second session and he did exactly that, two commanding visits to the table forcing Robertson to concede the ninth.
However the world number six was left rooted in his chair in the next, Robertson rattling in 101, including potting a difficult red into the middle pocket, to restore his two frame-lead.
An error-strewn 11th frame went the way of the man from Melbourne and he also took the 12th courtesy of a break of 76 that placed him 8-4 ahead.
A run of 76 moved Robertson on the brink of victory, though Murphy refused to throw in the towel.
He won the next frame in double-quick time and then produced a stunning pot on the blue, complete with screw back, on the way to winning the 15th with a break of 86.
Robertson kept his nerve though, amassing 70 to open up a considerable lead in the 16th. Although a simple miss on a red held him up, Murphy could not find a way to stay alive in the match.
