Higgins made the perfect start to the 2015–16 season as he claimed the Australian Goldfields Open by beating Martin Gould 9–8 in the final. He soon won the 28th ranking title of his career after he defeated David Gilbert 10–5 in the final of the International Championship. This moved Higgins level with Steve Davis in the list of ranking events won, but still eight behind Stephen Hendry. Higgins opened up his quarter-final with Neil Robertson at the 2015 UK Championship with the 600th century break of his career, but trailed 4–1. A 69 and two 134 breaks saw him level the tie, before Robertson went on to win 6–5. Higgins almost made it through to the final of the China Open, but a 131 break by Ricky Walden in the last frame saw him lose 6–5 in the semi-finals. He saw off Ryan Day 10–3 and Walden 13–8 at the World Championship, but lost 13–11 to Alan McManus in the quarter-finals having been 11–9 ahead and said later that he had cracked under pressure.