2004 European Open (snooker)
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1–6 March 2004 |
| Venue | Hilton Conference Centre |
| City | Portomaso |
| Country | Malta |
| Organisation(s) | WPBSA |
| Format | Ranking event |
| Total prize fund | £400,800 |
| Winner's share | £48,000 |
| Final | |
| Champion |
 Stephen Maguire
|
| Runner-up |
 Jimmy White
|
| Score | 9–3 |
|
← 2003
2005 →
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The 2004 European Open was the 2004 edition of the European Open snooker tournament, held from 1 to 6 March 2004, at the Hilton Conference Centre, Portomaso, Malta. It was the final year the event was known as European Open, as the event was renamed to Malta Cup in next year. Stephen Maguire defeated Jimmy White by nine frames to three (9–3) in the final to claim his first ranking-event title, transforming him from "talented underachiever into a world-ranking event winner", according to The Times. In the semi-finals Maguire defeated Stephen Lee and White beat Tony Drago. The tournament was the fifth of eight WPBSA ranking events in the 2003/2004 season, following the Welsh Open and preceding the Irish Masters.
Prior to the 1988/1989 season no ranking tournament had been continuously staged outside of the United Kingdom (although the World Championship had been held twice in Australia). The snooker governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), decided to include overseas events and the first two locations chosen were Canada and Europe. The European Open was first held in 1989 in Deauville, France, and was suspended for 1997/1998 and 2000/2001. It moved to the Hilton Conference Centre, Portomaso, Malta for the first time in 2004 and was renamed the Malta Cup the following season.
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