McGill finished the year by qualifying for the televised stages of the World Championship for the first time, after coming through three matches, ending with a 10–9 victory over Mark King which he closed with a 127 break. Compatriot Stephen Maguire levelled their first round match at 9–9 after having been 9–5 behind, but McGill once again made a century break in the deciding frame, this time a 122. McGill then knocked out defending champion Mark Selby 13–9 in the second round, with Selby stating that he believed McGill could win the title if he could maintain his form. In the third ranking event quarter-final of his career, McGill lost 13–8 to Shaun Murphy. The crowd warmed to McGill during his run in the tournament due to him smiling frequently between shots and displaying a relaxed attitude. He was the world number 24 afterwards, resulting in a climb of 21 places in 12 months.