John Higgins and Judd Trump will face off in Saturday’s first semi-final after coming through quarter-finals of contrasting quality.

Higgins, 50, rolled back the years with a superb comeback from 5–3 down to defeat the current world champion Zhao Xintong, while Trump continued this year’s dominant 6–2 theme by beating Mark Allen in a match that proved far tougher than the scoreline suggested.

Higgins stops world champion Zhao with thrilling comeback

John Higgins 6 – 5 Zhao Xintong (best of 11 frames)

John Higgins proved he can still stand toe to toe with the very best, producing a tenacious fightback from 5–2 down to claim a remarkable victory in the deciding frame.

Zhao Xintong, playing fearlessly in his first Masters quarter-final, looked the more fluent of the two in the early frames, compiling breaks of 89 and 74. But John Higgins dug in to keep the match level after six frames, helped by a superb century break of 114.

Errors in the seventh and eighth frames allowed Zhao to move to the brink of the semi-finals, but Higgins summoned every ounce of experience to claw back the deficit and force a deciding frame.

The final frame appeared to be going Zhao’s way until he missed a long red to bring his break to an end at 53. John Higgins stepped in, cleared the table, and sealed a dramatic victory to reach his first Masters semi-final since 2018.

Trump finds just enough form to edge out Allen

Judd Trump 6 – 2 Mark Allen

The second semi-final proved a less enthralling affair, with neither Judd Trump nor Mark Allen producing their best.

World number one Judd Trump appeared to struggle with his positional play early on, but Mark Allen, who was playing the better of the two, failed to capitalise as the opening four frames were shared.

The match, dominated by prolonged safety exchanges, gradually tipped in Trump’s favour as he proved the more positive and clinical, reeling off four straight frames after the mid-session interval.

Trump will need to raise his level for Saturday’s meeting with Higgins, but it is likely to be a more fluid contest than his match against Allen, given the contrast in tempo between the two opponents.

The Sony Open is underway at Waialae Country Club in Oahu, Hawaii. This article will serve as a thread of live updates plus information from the grouping of Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley, and Jordan Spieth.

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As of 12:30 Hawaiian Standard time or 5:30 Eastern Standard time, the leaderboard in the media room is as follows

T1 Ben Griffin: -7, Finished

T1 Chris Gotterup: -7, Finished

T1 Nick Taylor: -7, through 17 holes

T1 Kevin Roy: -7, through 15 holes

5 Alex Smalley: -6, finished

T6 Denny McCarthy: -5, Finished

T6 Kurt Kitayama: -5, Finished

T6 Harry Hall: -5, Finished

T6 Russell Henley: -5, Finished

T6 John Parry: -5, through 16 holes

Live Updates from Matsuyama, Bradley, and Spieth Round 1 at the Sony Open

Update 12:55

I finally was able to catchup to the group on the tee box at 4.

Through 3 they all are currently 1 under par

Interesting note: Bradley birdied 1, Spieth birdied 2 and Matsuyama birdied 3.

Hole 4:

Spieth: Missed the green right. The ball is pretty well buried, tough up and down. Not a bad chip, not a great chip either long look for par. Par putt left just short, it’s a bogey on 4.

Bradley: On the green in the middle tier will have a long uphill putt at birdie. Good lag putt, just short, he cleans up for par.

Matsuyama: Got his tee shot to the back third tier of the green, best look at birdie of the 3. Missed the putt just left of the hole and cleans up for par

Through 4: Bradley -1, Matsuyama -1, Spieth E

Hole 5: Par 4 with the pin tucked in the back right of the green.

Matsuyama: In the fairway on the left side. Missed the green to the right will be chipping from the rough. Good chip will have a really good chance to save par. Misses the short par putt, bogey on 5.

Bradley: In the fairway on the left side. A couple yards closer than Matsuyama. Hits the middle of the green in the back will have a putt at birdie. Drills the long birdie putt to move to -2.

Spieth: In the fairway on the right side. Sticks one to the back right pin should have a really good look at birdie. Missed his birdie putt.

Through 5: Bradley -2, Spieth E, and Matsuyama E

Hole 6: Par 4, middle pin placement