1978 Masters (snooker)

Benson & Hedges Masters

Tournament information
Dates	6–10 February 1978
Venue	New London Theatre
City	London
Country	England
Organisation	WPBSA
Format	Non-ranking event
Total prize fund	£8,000
Winner's share	£3,000
Highest break	Cliff Thorburn (88)
Final
Champion	Alex Higgins
Runner-up	Cliff Thorburn
Score	7–5
← 1977 1979 →

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 who 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					Quarter-finals Best of 7 frames					Semi-finals Best of 9 frames					Final Best of 13 frames
						Doug Mountjoy		2
						Cliff Thorburn		4
											Cliff Thorburn		5
											John Spencer		3
						John Spencer		4
	John Pulman		4			John Pulman		2
	Patsy Fagan		2													Cliff Thorburn		5
																Alex Higgins		7
						Alex Higgins		4
						Dennis Taylor		3
											Alex Higgins		5
											Ray Reardon		1
						Ray Reardon		4
	Fred Davis		3			Graham Miles		1
	Graham Miles		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