STUART Bingham was quick to dedicate a very satisfying Shanghai Masters win over Mark Allen and second ranking title success to his late father-in-law Terry.
The 38-year-old Bingham dominated an off-colour Allen to run out a 10-3 victor at the Grand Stage and claim the £85,000 first prize - the biggest cheque of his career.
World No11 Bingham was absolutely delighted to double his tally of ranking titles – something he insisted would now stop Mark Williams calling him ‘Chesney’ after the one-hit wonder pop star Chesney Hawkes.
And he also admitted that Allen’s “bottler” taunt three years ago still served as a motivation to him – and has been partly responsible for the career transformation seen since that day.
But most of all in his moment of triumph Basildon’s Bingham’s thoughts were for his wife Michelle and his family.
He said: “I would like to dedicate this victory to Terry, my late father-in-law. It has been a tough year for the family and my wife, and this one is for him.
“And I am also very appreciative and grateful for the work of my coach Steve Feeney and the Sight Right organisation.
“I probably have to thank Mark Allen for that comment because since that moment my life has gone from good to better.
“I remember the match against him after he said it, I had lost so many quarter-finals and that one turned into almost a life or death match, and stopped me worrying about the event.
“I wanted to win that match and I still use it sometimes against an opponent, like the first four frames today.
“This has to be the biggest win of my career, with the prestige of this tournament. And it is also the biggest cheque, more than for winning the invitation Premier League.
“It means so much to win a second ranking title, Mark Williams calls me Chesney Hawkes for being a one-hit wonder so I hope he sees this.”
Though at one time there was a war of words between the pair relations have clearly thawed – and Allen, who said before the final Bingham had played the best snooker of the week - was generous in defeat.
The 28-year-old said: “I am very disappointed both to lose and with the way I played. I could blame some things but Stuart was a deserving winner today.
“At 8-3 I started to know it was all over, whereas at 6-3 I felt right in it and had chances to win both of the first two frames in the evening.
“I have been nowhere near my best this week so I am proud of how I have handled that and held myself together enough to get to the final.”
Photograph courtesy of World Snooker