title: 1978 Masters (snooker)
text: # 1978 Masters (snooker)
  
  The 1978 Masters (officially the 1978 Benson & Hedges Masters) was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament that took place from Monday 6 to Friday 10 February 1978 at the New London Theatre in London, England. It was the last time the Masters was held there, as the following year it moved to the Wembley Conference Centre. 10 players were invited for the tournament.
  
  Alex Higgins won the first of his two Masters titles by defeating Cliff Thorburn.
  
  ## Main draw
  
  | Round 1 Best of 7 frames | Round 1 Best of 7 frames | Round 1 Best of 7 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 7 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 7 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 7 frames | Semi-finals Best of 9 frames | Semi-finals Best of 9 frames | Semi-finals Best of 9 frames | Final Best of 13 frames | Final Best of 13 frames | Final Best of 13 frames |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | | | Doug Mountjoy (WAL) | Doug Mountjoy (WAL) | 2 | | | | | | |
  | | | | Cliff Thorburn (CAN) | Cliff Thorburn (CAN) | 4 | | | | | | |
  | | | | | | | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 5 | | | |
  | | | | | | | John Spencer | John Spencer | 3 | | | |
  | | | | John Spencer (ENG) | John Spencer (ENG) | 4 | | | | | | |
  | John Pulman (ENG) | John Pulman (ENG) | 4 | John Pulman | John Pulman | 2 | | | | | | |
  | Patsy Fagan (IRL) | Patsy Fagan (IRL) | 2 | | | | | | | Cliff Thorburn | Cliff Thorburn | 5 |
  | | | | | | | | | | Alex Higgins | Alex Higgins | 7 |
  | | | | Alex Higgins (NIR) | Alex Higgins (NIR) | 4 | | | | | | |
  | | | | Dennis Taylor (NIR) | Dennis Taylor (NIR) | 3 | | | | | | |
  | | | | | | | Alex Higgins | Alex Higgins | 5 | | | |
  | | | | | | | Ray Reardon | Ray Reardon | 1 | | | |
  | | | | Ray Reardon (WAL) | Ray Reardon (WAL) | 4 | | | | | | |
  | Fred Davis (ENG) | Fred Davis (ENG) | 3 | Graham Miles | Graham Miles | 1 | | | | | | |
  | Graham Miles (ENG) | Graham Miles (ENG) | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
  
  ## Final
  
  Final: Best of 13 frames. Referee: John Street New London Theatre, London, England, 10 February 1978. :
  
  | Alex Higgins Northern Ireland | 7–5 | Cliff Thorburn Canada |
  | - | - | - |
  | First session: 107–7, 71–41, 94–6, 17–69, 16–104, 13–101 (88), 14–62, 84–29 (80), 58–70, 68–48, 61–47, 72–15 |||
  | 80 | Highest break | 88 |
  | 0 | Century breaks | 0 |
  | 1 | 50+ breaks | 1 |
  
  ## Century breaks
  
  * None. Highest break: 88 – Cliff Thorburn
  