The 1996 International Open (officially the 1996 Sweater Shop International Open) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 17 and 24 February 1996 at the Link Centre in Swindon, England.

John Higgins defended his title by defeating Rod Lawler 9–3 in the final. This was the first time that Lawler reached the final of a ranking event.

Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:

Winner: £60,000 Runner-up: £32,000 Semi-final: £16,000 Quarter-final: £9,050 Last 16: £4,550 Last 32: £2,600 Last 64: £1,900 Last 96: £700Stage one highest break: £1,200 Stage two highest break: £2,400 Total: £321,400

Main draw

Last 64 Best of 9 framesLast 32 Best of 9 framesLast 16 Best of 9 framesQuarter-finals Best of 9 framesSemi-finals Best of 11 framesFinal Best of 17 frames
1Scotland John Higgins5
Scotland Graeme Dott0
1Scotland John Higgins5
Wales Mark Williams2
18New Zealand Dene O'Kane2
Wales Mark Williams5
1Scotland John Higgins5
28England Neal Foulds1
28England Neal Foulds5
England Pat Horne1
28England Neal Foulds5
12England Nigel Bond2
12England Nigel Bond5
England Karl Payne1
1Scotland John Higgins5
England Karl Broughton2
9Wales Darren Morgan3
England Karl Broughton5
England Karl Broughton5
Wales Wayne Jones4
25England Willie Thorne4
Wales Wayne Jones5
England Karl Broughton5
Scotland Chris Small3
26England Steve James3
Scotland David McLellan5
Scotland David McLellan4
Scotland Chris Small5
7Scotland Alan McManus4
Scotland Chris Small5
1Scotland John Higgins6
20Canada Alain Robidoux4
5England John Parrott4
England Stephen Lee5
England Stephen Lee5
32Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor0
32Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor5
England Tony Jones3
England Stephen Lee5
31England Anthony Hamilton2
31England Anthony Hamilton5
Wales Mark Bennett2
31England Anthony Hamilton5
England Joe Johnson4
11England Peter Ebdon4
England Joe Johnson5
England Stephen Lee2
20Canada Alain Robidoux5
14Malta Tony Drago5
Northern Ireland Terry Murphy2
14Malta Tony Drago5
England Mark Rowing2
24England Tony Knowles4
England Mark Rowing5
14Malta Tony Drago0
20Canada Alain Robidoux5
20Canada Alain Robidoux5
England Mike Hallett1
20Canada Alain Robidoux5
Republic of Ireland Fergal O'Brien2
4England Ronnie O'Sullivan3
Republic of Ireland Fergal O'Brien5
1Scotland John Higgins9
England Rod Lawler3
3England Steve Davis3
Northern Ireland Jason Prince5
Northern Ireland Jason Prince2
England Nick Pearce5
21England Mick Price4
England Nick Pearce5
England Nick Pearce5
16England David Roe2
23England Gary Wilkinson5
England Paul Wykes3
24England Gary Wilkinson2
16England David Roe5
16England David Roe5
England Jim Chambers2
England Nick Pearce5
13England Dave Harold2
13England Dave Harold5
England Mark Davis2
13England Dave Harold5
Scotland Drew Henry4
17England Andy Hicks4
Scotland Drew Henry5
13England Dave Harold5
29England Jason Ferguson0
29England Jason Ferguson5
England Stefan Mazrocis2
29England Jason Ferguson5
Republic of Ireland Michael Judge3
6Thailand James Wattana3
Republic of Ireland Michael Judge5
England Nick Pearce5
England Rod Lawler6
8England Jimmy White1
England David Finbow5
England David Finbow5
England Mark King3
30Northern Ireland Dean Reynolds0
England Mark King5
England David Finbow5
England Gary Ponting2
27England Brian Morgan3
Scotland Marcus Campbell5
Scotland Marcus Campbell3
England Gary Ponting5
10Republic of Ireland Ken Doherty2
England Gary Ponting5
England David Finbow1
England Rod Lawler5
15Wales Terry Griffiths3
Scotland Billy Snaddon5
Scotland Billy Snaddon5
20Northern Ireland Joe Swail1
19Northern Ireland Joe Swail5
England Barry Pinches2
Scotland Billy Snaddon3
England Rod Lawler5
22England Martin Clark0
England Rod Lawler5
England Rod Lawler5
2Scotland Stephen Hendry3
2Scotland Stephen Hendry5
England Brian Rowswell1

Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Jan Verhaas. Link Centre, Swindon, England, 24 February 1996.
John Higgins Scotland9–3Rod Lawler England
46–74(56), 79–4, 71–48, 104(104)–0, 85(76)–13, 59–23, 83(59)–20, 0–85(77), 86(55)–10, 58–69, 100(100)–17, 65(55)–28
104Highest break77
2Century breaks0
650+ breaks2

Century breaks

144, 129, 104, 100 – John Higgins 127, 106 – Dave Harold 124 – John Parrott 123 – Willie Thorne 119 – Ken Doherty 111 – Jim Chambers108, 103 – Stephen Lee 107 – Wayne Jones 102 – David Finbow 102 – Terry Murphy 101 – Fergal O'Brien 100 – Peter Ebdon