Shaun Murphy. Picture by Monique Limbos

NEW DAFABET Masters champion Shaun Murphy has said he has been practically living in a snooker club for the past 12 months in the hope his glory days would return.

The world number eleven lifted one of snooker’s most prestigious prizes last night (Sunday) for the first time after thrashing world number one Neil Robertson 10-2.

A sublime performance saw Murphy get back to winning major silverware once again. The first time he has won a major event on home soil for several years.

It has been a big turnaround for the Englishman who admitted this week he was at a real low point twelve months ago when he had gone almost three years without a big title to his name – so much so he considered the possibility of quitting the game he loves.

But winning the Haikou World Open last year gave Murphy the kick-start he so badly needed and ended the year in style with two European Tour titles and three 147 maximum breaks in one calendar year.

And that winning momentum has followed on in early 2015 with Masters glory and joining a number of snooker greats to have won the World Championship, Masters and UK Championship.

“It was an unbelievable feeling to pot the last few balls,” Murphy said after beating Robertson.

“To win this playing good snooker is very pleasing. This time 12 months ago I talked about giving up snooker and going off to do something else. I stuck at it and I’ve lived in the snooker club since, and it has finally paid off.

“It hasn’t hit me yet at all, it will take days, weeks and months for what I have achieved to sink in.

“There are plenty more trophies out there to be won.”

Robertson, who failed to match the levels from his semi-final win over last year’s winner Ronnie O’Sullivan, said he was keen to put the defeat behind him.

“I’m really disappointed to have played like that in a big final but sometimes you have to take it on the chin and move on to the next one,” he said.

“It’s very fitting that a player as good as Shaun has won all three majors. A defeat like this motivates me to practice more.”