Mark Williams is closing on becoming the oldest snooker player to lift the World Championship in 40 years.

Mark Williams. Picture by Monique Limbos

The Welshman just needs three more frames to beat rival John Higgins after dominating the first three sessions of this year’s World Championship final.

Williams currently leads Higgins 15-10 in a match which will see the winner pocket a record-high prize of £425,000.

Higgins or Williams, aged 42 and 43 respectively, will become snooker’s oldest world champion for 40 years dating back to when Ray Reardon won the sport’s blue riband event at the age of 45 in 1978.

Williams is playing his first World Championship final since 2003 when he lifted the world title for a second title after beating Ken Doherty whereas Higgins, a four-times world champion, is hoping to go one better than last year in which he lost his sixth world final to Mark Selby.

Winner of this season’s Northern Ireland Open and German Masters, Williams did once cruise to a 14-7 lead over the Scot at the midway point of today’s afternoon session before Higgins mounted a comeback to stay in the hunt for a fifth world title.

The final resumes at 7pm tonight (UK time).