The 1998 Irish Masters was a professional invitational snooker tournament held in March 1998 at the Goffs exhibition complex in Kill, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. The Irish Masters, organized by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), was traditionally a non‑ranking event featuring a select field of leading players.
Venue and format
- Venue: Goffs, Kill, County Kildare, Ireland
- Tournament type: Invitational, non‑ranking
- Format: Matches were played over a series of frames, with the final contested as a best‑of‑17‑frames match.
Results
- Champion: John Higgins (Scotland)
- Runner‑up: Ken Doherty (Ireland)
- Final score: 9–6 in favour of Higgins
Prize money
The event offered a total prize fund of approximately £125,000, with the winner's share reported to be around £30,000. (Exact distribution figures vary between sources.)
Historical context
The Irish Masters was established in 1978 and, by 1998, had become a prestigious fixture on the professional snooker calendar despite its non‑ranking status. It attracted top‑10 players and was notable for being staged at the Goffs venue, which was renowned for its intimate atmosphere and high‑quality playing conditions. The 1998 edition marked the twentieth anniversary of the tournament’s modern era, which began in the early 1990s when the event adopted a regular invitational format.
Significance
John Higgins’s victory in 1998 added to his series of high‑profile titles in the 1990s, reinforcing his position among the sport’s leading competitors. The tournament also highlighted the growing prominence of Irish players, with Ken Doherty reaching the final on home soil.
Subsequent editions
The Irish Masters continued intermittently until its final edition in 2005, after which it was discontinued as a professional event.
All information presented is based on established sports archives and contemporary news reports.