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Ronnie O'Sullivan won the final of the totesport Grand Prix, collecting not only the £60,000 first prize, but the only ranking title that had previously eluded him.

The World Number One started as an overwhelming favourite to lift the title but Ian McCulloch, with most of the crowd support to lift his spirits, did his best to spoil the O'Sullivan party.

But the Preston man could do little about an opening 86 from O'Sullivan, in fact he twice missed the ball completely as early nerves got the better of him. He got amongst the balls in the second, but broke down on only 20 and 49 from O'Sullivan won the frame.

McCulloch got his name on the board in the third, an early effort of 40 followed by 26 helped him settle. But he became a mere spectator again as O'Sullivan imperiously swept in a superb long red and compiled a 104 break to take a 3-1 interval lead.

The break did nothing to upset the O'Sullivan rhythm as he pounced when McCulloch missed a routine black off its spot, clinching a 4-1 lead with a run of 72. The sixth frame, the longest of the match at thirty-five minutes, could have gone to either player. Both missed chances but O'Sullivan chipped in with 24 and 25, but eventually had to sink pink and black .

If McCulloch was to have any chance in the evening then he had to win the final frame of the afternoon to keep in touch. And he did. A poor safety from O'Sullivan let him in and he made 54 to reduce his arrears to 5-2.

Both players took a while to settle in front of the capacity final night audience, but McCulloch eventually snatched his third opportunity to run in 66 and trail by only 5-3.

That setback spurred O'Sullivan into action and when his opponent missed an early red he whistled in a break of 104. McCulloch again had his chances in the tenth, but couldn't construct anything conclusive and O'Sullivan stretched his lead with a late run of 43.

With defeat looming, McCulloch, watched by his wife and baby daughter, gamely battled back with a break of 69. In the twelfth O'Sullivan's run of 55 was enough to move him to within a frame of victory.

And when the World Champion opened the next with 44, it looked all over bar the cheering, but unaccountably he missed an easy black and McCulloch dug deep to clear with 78 to the pink.

And the Preston man was unlucky in the fourteenth, going in off when he'd made just 16. But he still had a chance when O'Sullivan again missed a straightforward ball, having made 32. But McCulloch couldn't take advantage and O'Sullivan stepped in with 71 to seal his victory.

Victory has stretched O'Sullivan's lead at the top of the provisional rankings to a near invincible 9,000 points (GSC Rankings), and he sent out an ominous warning to his rivals after the match.

"I didn't really fire on any cylinders", claimed O'Sullivan, adding "I'm going to try and raise the bar again."

McCulloch was philosophical. "You've just got to play your best against Ronnie, but I made too many errors and you just can't do that against him.

"The crowds have been fantastic here all week, and I'm not downhearted."

Qualification Rounds for the UK Championship start in Pontin's on Wednesday and GSC will be providing live coverage.

RESOURCES

2004 GRAND PRIX

INFORMATION

PHOTOS

TOTESPORT

RESULTS - FINAL

Frame Scores:

Ronnie O'Sullivan 9-5 Ian McCulloch

89(86)-4, 70(49)-20, 1-75(40), 104(104)-0, 80(72)-7, 62-58, 8-85(54)

53-80(66), 111(104)-7, 80(43)-32, 0-91(69), 74(55)-17, 44(44)-78(78), 107(71)-23