At the 2016 World Open, Higgins reached the 100th ranking event quarter-final of his career, but was thrashed 5–0 by Ali Carter. He lost in the quarter-finals of both the English Open and International Championship 5–1 to Judd Trump and 6–2 to Ding Junhui respectively. He got to the final of the inaugural China Championship by beating Mark Allen and from 7–7 with Stuart Bingham, Higgins made three successive centuries to claim the title and £200,000, the highest ever victory cheque awarded outside of the UK. At the Champion of Champions he defied four centuries from Ding in the semi-finals to win 6–5.