2009 CHAMPIONSHIP League Snooker winner Judd Trump is on course for title number two as he defeated Shaun Murphy in a final frame decider to win the opening group at Crondon Park Golf Club, Stock, Essex.

The Romford-based Bristolian earned £6,000 for his efforts and will return to the same venue in March to contest the final stages of the internet only streamed competition.

In a high quality performance, Trump recorded breaks of 121 and then 118 in the penultimate frame to progress. Murphy, who netted £5,000, returns today when Group 2 commences.

“I saved my best performance for the final, no one is that sharp after Christmas,” said Trump, who kept his winning streak going, having won the williamhill.com UK Championship last month.

“I’m glad I won the final as Shaun played well and really pushed me. I’m getting a lot of chances and taking them but there will be a time when safety play has to come in.

“Of the competitions I’ve played in, I’m doing well or winning 50 per cent at the moment and that brings a lot of confidence and I’m taking more shots on.

“My game has improved by 50 per cent since this time last year and the confidence I’ve got is the main part of that. I’ve always been a good player but lacked that killer edge when playing on TV or in tournaments like this.”

Earlier, Trump had defeated Mark Selby in the semi-final while Murphy had put paid to East Sussex cueman Mark Davis’s hopes.

The play-off stages saw £300 awarded for each frame won with bonuses of £3,000 (winner), £2,000 to the runner-up and £1,000 apiece for the semi-finalists. The top break prize of £500 for Group 1 went to Andrew Higginson, who was eliminated from the competition alongside Ali Carter.

The Championship League Snooker event is a venture between Matchroom Sport and Perform where 25 of the game’s finest players compete with all matches broadcast on a host of betting websites.

Each group features seven players with each man playing the other six once in a round-robin basis. Every match is the best of five and the winner gaining a point. At the end of the league phase the top four advance to that group’s semi-finals where the two winners meet in the final.

Each group winner then goes through to the final group on March 21st & 22nd where big money as well as a spot in the Sky Sports-televised Premier League Snooker is up for grabs. The two bottom players are eliminated from the competition, while the remaining four move forward to Group Two to be joined by three new players.

Play continues today in Group Two where Selby, Murphy, Davis and Matthew Stevens are joined by Neil Robertson, Mark Williams and Stuart Bingham.

Day one League results

Matthew Stevens 1-3 Mark Selby
31-64, 72-32 (Selby 46), 37-78 (Selby 77), 0-106 (Selby, 38, 68)

Shaun Murphy 2-3 Judd Trump
93-37 (Murphy 31, 58), 84-11 (Murphy 84), 17-69 (Trump 64), 0-79 (Trump 45, 34), 27-75 (Trump 47)

Andrew Higginson 3-1 Matthew Stevens
71-0 (Higginson 40), 77-0 (Higginson 38, 49), 7-60 (Stevens 31), 113-0 (Higginson 52, 56)

Ali Carter 1-3 Mark Davis
73-40, 0-67 (Davis 67), 0-74 (Davis 73), 4-82 (Davis 41)

Mark Selby 3-2 Shaun Murphy
71-17, 0-76, 77-38 (Selby 77, Murphy 38), 71-45 (Selby 66, Murphy 45), 60-49 (Selby 59)

Mark Davis 3-1 Andrew Higginson
85-25 (Higginson 78), 133-0 (Davis 133), 61-70 (Davis 61, Higginson 70), 66-7 (Davis 66)

Mark Selby 3-1 Judd Trump
48-65 (Selby 40, Trump 35), 76-24 (Selby 76), 73-42 (Selby 46, Trump 42), 92-48 (Selby 92)

Judd Trump 3-0 Ali Carter
69-14 (Trump 69), 68-58 (Carter 53), 110-5 (Trump 110)

Matthew Stevens 2-3 Shaun Murphy
73-54 (Murphy 52), 11-82, 0-75 (Murphy 53), 108-5 (Stevens 83), 0-69 (Murphy 54)

Ali Carter 3-0 Andrew Higginson
74-16 (Carter 47), 109-0 (Carter 101), 126-1 (Carter 120)

Shaun Murphy 3-1 Andrew Higginson
105-0 (Murphy 105), 31-96 (Higginson 96), 86-0 (Murphy 86), 119-0 (Murphy 115)

Mark Davis 3-2 Judd Trump
66-2 (Davis 57), 31-73 (Davis 31, Trump 40), 0-109 (Trump 109), 81-0 (Davis 77), 70-45 (Davis 45)

Day 2 League Results

Matthew Stevens 1-3 Mark Davis
19-83 (Davis 77), 9-82 (Davis 45, 37), 66-43 (Stevens 48), 27-71 (Davis 31, 31)

Mark Selby 3-2 Ali Carter
6-72 (Carter 67), 0-75 (Carter 65), 142-0 (Selby 110), 80-0 (Selby 58), 63-16 (Selby 43)

Judd Trump 3-2 Andrew Higginson
19-113 (Higginson 91), 137-0 (Trump 131), 119-0 (Trump 119), 30-64, 67-40 (Trump 50, Higginson 32)

Shaun Murphy 3-0 Mark Davis
71-0 (Murphy 71), 124-6 (71, 53), 70-47 (Davis 36)

Mark Selby 1-3 Andrew Higginson
1-135 (Higginson 135), 70-5 (Selby 53), 9-82 (Higginson 52), 17-73 (Higginson 73)

Matthew Stevens 3-0 Ali Carter
79-0 (Stevens 79), 64-23 (Stevens 43), 67-57 (Stevens 67, Carter 57)

Shaun Murphy 2-3 Ali Carter
9-118 (Carter 118), 4-79 (Carter 67), 69-63 (Murphy 69, Carter 49), 110-1 (Murphy 110), 15-57 (Carter 49)

Mark Selby 3-2 Mark Davis
22-71 (Davis 49), 0-78 (Davis 78), 70-38 (Selby 48), 68-40 (Davis 35), 90-37 (Selby 90, Davis 36)

Judd Trump 0-3 Matthew Stevens
64-72 (Trump 64, Stevens 72), 45-57 (Trump 44, Stevens 50), 0-136 (Stevens 45, 91)

Semi-Finals

Mark Selby 1-3 Judd Trump
13-75 (Trump 56), 39-87 (Selby 39, Trump 79), 96-0 (Selby 96), 0-84 (Trump 84)

Mark Davis 1-3 Shaun Murphy
66-71 (Davis 38, Murphy 43), 92-15 (Davis 70), 29-76 (Murphy 61), 43-70 (Davis 34, Murphy 61)

The Final

Judd Trump 3-2 Shaun Murphy
25-84 (Murphy 84), 121-1 (Trump 121), 19-65 (Murphy 65), 118-0 (Trump 118), 75-8 (Trump 67)

Century breaks
135 – Andrew Higginson v Mark Selby
133 – Mark Davis v Andrew Higginson
131 – Judd Trump v Andrew Higginson
121 – Judd Trump v Shaun Murphy
120 – Ali Carter v Andrew Higginson
119 – Judd Trump v Andrew Higginson
118 – Judd Trump v Shaun Murphy
118 – Ali Carter v Shaun Murphy
115 – Shaun Murphy v Andrew Higginson
110 – Shaun Murphy v Ali Carter
110 – Judd Trump v Ali Carter
110 – Mark Selby v Ali Carter
109 – Judd Trump v Mark Davis
105 – Shaun Murphy v Andrew Higginson
101 – Ali Carter v Andrew Higginson