Masters 2016: O'Sullivan hammers Hawkins in final

The Rocket had not played in a major tournament since last year's World Championship but he needed little time to blow away any cobwebs as he swept Hawkins aside to seal a comfortable 10-1 victory.

This one really went with the form-book as O'Sullivan moved level with Stephen Hendry on six Masters titles by beating a man who has only ever got the better of him once in their 11 meetings.

Hawkins had never won a match in this tournament until this week but, although he made it to the final, he never looked like shocking O'Sullivan.

After more than eight months away, O'Sullivan eased straight back into his stride - even if he said his semi-final performance against Stuart Bingham had been "embarrassing".

But he did not need to be vintage O'Sullivan to win here, securing the trophy by the biggest winning margin in 28 years, and he was delighted to return with a victory.

"I'm over the moon," he told BBC Sport.

"I watched Barry play in his semi-final and I knew I needed to raise my level and I was able to do that. I managed my emotions well on such a big occasion.

"I'm delighted I've been able to play as well as I have done. I'm never normally surprised that I win tournaments but I'm surprised I've won my first one back in eight months.

"But if I can produce some form it doesn't matter how much time you take out, it is all about producing it and I was able to do that this week."

For Hawkins, it was a case of what might have been as he was beaten by O'Sullivan for a 10th time in succession.

"I wish he would retire, to be fair!" he said of his conqueror.

"I'm disappointed with my performance today, I didn't give him a game today at all. I didn't feel like I could pot a ball in the end.

"If someone said to me I would have got to the final at the start of the week and play Ronnie I would have ripped their arm off but when you get to the final you want to perform.

"I'm sure I will look back at it and think I have done well but it is just one of those things."

Hawkins took the lead after winning a scrappy opening frame in which both players passed up the opportunity to build a lead.

O'Sullivan had complained that his recent back problems had led to his unhappiness in the semi-final but he levelled with a quick-fire 70 after a poor safety from Hawkins.

The best of the 40-year-old came through in the third when a break of 136 saw him take the lead for the first time.

The fourth frame was tighter and Hawkins missed a simple black to allow O'Sullivan to put together a lead and, despite the fact Hawkins then did well to clear the reds from the cushions he went on to miss a difficult yellow and O'Sullivan went on to win the frame with ease.

Hawkins just could not take his chances when they came his way and, after the mid-session interval, he passed up the opportunity to reduce the arrears as O'Sullivan let him in with a sloppy safety shot.

It was the five-time Masters winner who went on to open up a three-frame lead after some marvellous cueing - before a simple red was missed by Hawkins in the sixth to give himself more of a mountain to climb.

In what was becoming a regular occurrence in this final, Hawkins again let O'Sullivan take a frame he himself had the chance to win.

A missed red down the table presented a chance to O'Sullivan and he did not let it pass as he was starting to win both the comfortable and scrappy contests and leave Hawkins in the dust.

Masters 2016 Results

 Sunday January 10
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Shaun Murphy 4-6 Mark Allen (Match 1)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Stuart Bingham 6-4 Ding Junhui (Match 8)

Monday January 11
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Judd Trump 6-4 Stephen Maguire (Match 3)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Barry Hawkins 6-3 Joe Perry (Match 2)

Tuesday January 12
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-5 Mark Williams (Match 6)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Mark Selby 6-0 Ricky Walden (Match 5)

Wednesday January 13
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
John Higgins 6-4 Liang Wenbo (Match 7)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Neil Robertson 6-0 Marco Fu (Match 4)

Thursday January 14
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Mark Selby 3-6 Ronnie O'Sullivan (QF3)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Mark Allen 2-6 Barry Hawkins (QF1)

Friday January 15
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Judd Trump 6-5 Neil Robertson (QF2)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
John Higgins 3-6 Stuart Bingham (QF4)

Saturday January 16
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
Barry Hawkins 6-4 Judd Trump (SF1)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-3 Stuart Bingham (SF2)

Sunday January 17
Barry Hawkins 1-10 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Final)