# 1996 International Open

The 1996 International Open (officially the 1996 Sweater Shop International Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 17 and 24 February 1996 at the Link Centre in Swindon, England.
John Higgins defended his title by defeating Rod Lawler 9–3 in the final. This was the first time that Lawler reached the final of a ranking event.

## Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:

## Main draw

| Last 64 Best of 9 frames | Last 64 Best of 9 frames | Last 64 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames |
| 1 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Graeme Dott | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Graeme Dott | 0 | 1 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Mark Williams | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | Dene O'Kane | 2 | | Mark Williams | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | 1 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 28 | Neal Foulds | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Neal Foulds | 5 | | | | | | | 28 | Neal Foulds | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Pat Horne | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Pat Horne | 1 | 28 | Neal Foulds | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Nigel Bond | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Nigel Bond | 5 | 12 | Nigel Bond | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Karl Payne | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Karl Payne | 1 | | | | | | | | 1 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Karl Broughton | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Darren Morgan | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | Karl Broughton | 2 | | | | | | | |
| | Karl Broughton | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Karl Broughton | 5 | | Karl Broughton | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Wayne Jones | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Willie Thorne | 4 | | Wayne Jones | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Wayne Jones | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Wayne Jones | 5 | | | | | Karl Broughton | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Chris Small | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Steve James | 3 | | | | | | | | Chris Small | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | David McLellan | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | David McLellan | 5 | | David McLellan | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Chris Small | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Alan McManus | 4 | | Chris Small | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Chris Small | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Chris Small | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | John Higgins | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20 | Alain Robidoux | 4 | | | | |
| 5 | John Parrott | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20 | Alain Robidoux | 4 | | | |
| | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stephen Lee | 5 | | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 32 | Dennis Taylor | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | Dennis Taylor | 5 | 32 | Dennis Taylor | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tony Jones | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tony Jones | 3 | | | | | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 31 | Anthony Hamilton | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Anthony Hamilton | 5 | | | | | | | 31 | Anthony Hamilton | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Bennett | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Bennett | 2 | 31 | Anthony Hamilton | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Joe Johnson | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Peter Ebdon | 4 | | Joe Johnson | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Joe Johnson | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Joe Johnson | 5 | | | | | | | | | Stephen Lee | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 20 | Alain Robidoux | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Tony Drago | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 20 | Alain Robidoux | 5 | | | | | | | |
| | Terry Murphy | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Terry Murphy | 2 | 14 | Tony Drago | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Mark Rowing | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | Tony Knowles | 4 | | Mark Rowing | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Rowing | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Rowing | 5 | | | | 14 | Tony Drago | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 20 | Alain Robidoux | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Alain Robidoux | 5 | | | | | | | 20 | Alain Robidoux | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mike Hallett | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mike Hallett | 1 | 20 | Alain Robidoux | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Fergal O'Brien | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 3 | | Fergal O'Brien | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fergal O'Brien | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fergal O'Brien | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | John Higgins | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 3 |
| 3 | Steve Davis | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 3 |
| | Jason Prince | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jason Prince | 5 | | Jason Prince | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Nick Pearce | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Mick Price | 4 | | Nick Pearce | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nick Pearce | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Nick Pearce | 5 | | | | | Nick Pearce | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 16 | David Roe | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | Gary Wilkinson | 5 | | | | | | | 16 | David Roe | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paul Wykes | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paul Wykes | 3 | 24 | Gary Wilkinson | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 16 | David Roe | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | David Roe | 5 | 16 | David Roe | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jim Chambers | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jim Chambers | 2 | | | | | | | | | Nick Pearce | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 13 | Dave Harold | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | Dave Harold | 2 | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Davis | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Davis | 2 | 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Drew Henry | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | Andy Hicks | 4 | | Drew Henry | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Drew Henry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Drew Henry | 5 | | | | 13 | Dave Harold | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 29 | Jason Ferguson | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Jason Ferguson | 5 | | | | | | | 29 | Jason Ferguson | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stefan Mazrocis | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stefan Mazrocis | 2 | 29 | Jason Ferguson | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Michael Judge | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | James Wattana | 3 | | Michael Judge | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Judge | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Judge | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Nick Pearce | 5 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 6 | | | | |
| 8 | Jimmy White | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 6 | | | |
| | David Finbow | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | David Finbow | 5 | | David Finbow | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Mark King | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | Dean Reynolds | 0 | | Mark King | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark King | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark King | 5 | | | | | David Finbow | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Gary Ponting | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Brian Morgan | 3 | | | | | | | | Gary Ponting | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Marcus Campbell | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Marcus Campbell | 5 | | Marcus Campbell | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Gary Ponting | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Ken Doherty | 2 | | Gary Ponting | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gary Ponting | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gary Ponting | 5 | | | | | | | | | David Finbow | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Terry Griffiths | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 5 | | | | | | | |
| | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 20 | Joe Swail | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Joe Swail | 5 | 20 | Joe Swail | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Pinches | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Pinches | 2 | | | | | Billy Snaddon | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Martin Clark | 0 | | | | | | | | Rod Lawler | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rod Lawler | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rod Lawler | 5 | | Rod Lawler | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Stephen Hendry | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | 2 | Stephen Hendry | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brian Rowswell | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Jan Verhaas. Link Centre, Swindon, England, 24 February 1996. :
| John Higgins Scotland | 9–3 | Rod Lawler England |
| 46–74(56), 79–4, 71–48, 104(104)–0, 85(76)–13, 59–23, 83(59)–20, 0–85(77), 86(55)–10, 58–69, 100(100)–17, 65(55)–28 |||
| 104 | Highest break | 77 |
| 2 | Century breaks | 0 |
| 6 | 50+ breaks | 2 |