YORK’S Ashley Hugill will meet six-time world champion John Higgins in the last 16 of the Scottish Open tonight.

Hugill, 23, is already assured of his best-ever performance at a World Snooker event, having only qualified for the tour through Q-School in May.

The Minster ace has already caused a stir at the Eurosport-televised, Emirates Arena event in Glasgow by negotiating his way past three opponents.

He overcame fellow Yorkshireman and 2009 UK Championship quarter-finalist Peter Lines, from Leeds, 4-1 today.

In the second round, meanwhile, he sent former world number two and two-time World Championship runner-up Ali Carter packing in a 4-3 victory.

Earlier, he had knocked out Ross Vallance out by the same scoreline in his first match.

Now in the business end of the tournament, Hugill will be competing for a quarter-final place, along with the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, Stephen Maguire and Marco Fu.

Hugill’s performance is an improvement on his display during the recent UK Championships in his home town at the Barbican, where he made a 6-2 first-round exit at the hands of world number 15 Anthony McGill.