Ken Doherty captured his first ranking tournament title since May 1997 last night in Valetta. The former world title holder defeated Welsh lefthander Mark Williams 9-3 to take the £295,000 Malta Grand Prix.

"If I ever decide to leave Ireland I think I'll come and live in Malta," said the Dubliner, who was a winner and runner-up of the tournament when it was a low-key invitation competition. "But this is really special to me because it's been so long since I last won a ranking title. All the bad memories from Wembley when I missed the black for a 147 maximum break and lost to Matthew Stevens are now forgotten.

"I took a lot of stick at the time but winning the tournament was more important. And that's why this means so much. I thought it was going to be a lot closer because Mark is provisional world number one. But I'll take it anyway. I want to try and keep it going because the world championship is coming up fast. I won't be resting. I'll keep practising and hope I can pick up another trophy."

Doherty's victory in the 1997 world final provided him with his last major success. But the odds on him repeating that Crucible Theatre victory will no doubt come tumbling down.

World number seven Doherty led 5-3 after a superb first session. Both players compiled some excellent breaks, with the Irishman's 101 which gave him his two-frame advantage, the highlight. The evening session couldn't match that high level of consistency as Doherty reeled off four more frames without reply.

"Ken played garbage in that second session so that sums up how badly I played," said Williams, who collected a £26,000 consolation prize. "I was pathetic, no other word for it."

Both players now go to Bangkok for the Thailand Masters, starting in six days' time.