| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 23 February – 2 March 1997 |
| Venue | Mediterranean Conference Centre |
| City | Valletta |
| Country | Malta |
| Organisation | World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association |
| Format | Ranking event |
| Total prize fund | £321,760 |
| Winner's share | £60,000 |
| Highest break | 141 (x2) |
| Final | |
| Champion |  John Higgins (SCO) |
| Runner-up |  John Parrott (ENG) |
| Score | 9–5 |
← 1996 1998 → | |
The 1997 European Open was the 1997 edition of the European Open snooker tournament, held from 23 February to 2 March 1997 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta, Malta. John Higgins defeated John Parrott by nine frames to five (9–5) in the final to claim his sixth ranking-event title. In the semi-finals Higgins defeated James Wattana and Parrott beat Ken Doherty. The tournament was the seventh of ten WPBSA ranking events in the 1996/1997 season, following the International Open and preceding the Thailand Open.