| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Pontins |
| Location | Prestatyn |
| Country | Wales |
| Established | 1974 |
| Format | Pro–am event |
| Final year | 2011 |
The Pontins Open events were a series of pro–am snooker tournaments which ran from 1974 until 2011.[1]
History
From the early 1970s, top professionals had supplemented their income entertaining and coaching holiday makers on the holiday camp circuit and at Pontin's in particular. That organisation organised several Snooker Festivals at which ordinary members of the public could join with top amateurs and the best professionals in open tournaments.
The first of these events was held in 1974 and eight top professionals were invited to take part in the Pontins Professional (which ended in 2000) while many others joined them in the Open event where up to 1000 hopefuls would set out with the chance to meet one of their idols in the later rounds. The most important of these festivals was the Pontins Spring Open held at Prestatyn, Wales. A similar Open event, the Pontins Autumn Open was held later in the year and attracted almost as many top names as the spring event.
The professionals had to concede up to 25 points per frame to the amateurs (this figure varied over the years) and this format meant that many of the star names fell to good amateurs. In the earlier years nearly all the top players took part but as the number of tour events increased very few entered in later years.
The Autumn Open ended in 2009 and the Spring Open ended in 2011 and the festival in later years also hosted the final Challenge Tour event where players battle for places on the main tour in the following season.
A later event which began in 2006, the Pontins World Series consisted of six qualifying events, open to amateurs and main tour professionals and was played in the summer and autumn. Points were awarded for each event with the best five results counting towards a merit table. The leading 64 players qualified to play in the series final. This tournament ran for four editions ending in 2009.[1]
Finals
Pontins Spring Open
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Final score | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 |  Doug Mountjoy (WAL) |
 John Spencer (ENG) |
7–4 | 1973/74 |
| 1975 | Ray Reardon (WAL) |
John Virgo (ENG) |
7–1 | 1974/75 |
| 1976 | Doug Mountjoy (WAL) |
Lance Pibworth (ENG) |
7–1 | 1975/76 |
| 1977 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Alex Higgins (NIR) |
Terry Griffiths (WAL) |
7–4 | 1976/77 |
| 1978 | Steve Davis (ENG) |
Tony Meo (ENG) |
7–6 | 1977/78 |
| 1979 | Steve Davis (ENG) |
Jimmy White (ENG) |
7–3 | 1978/79 |
| 1980 | Willie Thorne (ENG) |
Cliff Wilson (WAL) |
7–3 | 1979/80 |
| 1981 | John Hargreaves (ENG) |
Cliff Wilson (WAL) |
7–2 | 1980/81 |
| 1982 | John Parrott (ENG) |
Ray Reardon (WAL) |
7–4 | 1981/82 |
| 1983 | Terry Griffiths (WAL) |
Ray Reardon (WAL) |
7–3 | 1982/83 |
| 1984 | Neal Foulds (ENG) |
Doug Mountjoy (WAL) |
7–4 | 1983/84 |
| 1985 | Jim Chambers (ENG) |
John Parrott (ENG) |
7–6 | 1984/85 |
| 1986 | John Parrott (ENG) |
Tony Putnam (ENG) |
7–6 | 1985/86 |
| 1987 | Stefan Mazrocis (ENG) |
Barry Pinches (ENG) |
7–2 | 1986/87 |
| 1988 |  Ken Doherty (IRL) |
Colin Morton (ENG) |
7–5 | 1987/88 |
| 1989 | Peter Ebdon (ENG) |
Ken Doherty (IRL) |
7–4 | 1988/89 |
| 1990 | Tony Rampello (ENG) |
Paul Davies (WAL) |
7–3 | 1989/90 |
| 1991 | Mike Hallett (ENG) |
Wayne Brown (ENG) |
7–5 | 1990/91 |
| 1992 | Declan Hughes (NIR) |
Steve James (ENG) |
7–2 | 1991/92 |
| 1993 | Mike Hallett (ENG) |
Steve James (ENG) |
7–6 | 1992/93 |
| 1994 | Wayne Brown (ENG) |
 Graeme Dott (SCO) |
7–3 | 1993/94 |
| 1995 | Mark Williams (WAL) |
Peter Ebdon (ENG) |
7–4 | 1994/95 |
| 1996 | Ken Doherty (IRL) |
Darren Morgan (WAL) |
7–3 | 1995/96 |
| 1997 | Ken Doherty (IRL) |
Paul Bunyard (ENG) |
7–6 | 1996/97 |
| 1998 | James McGouran (SCO) |
Neal Foulds (ENG) |
7–0 | 1997/98 |
| 1999 | John Gallagher (IRL) |
Luke Simmonds (ENG) |
7–4 | 1998/99 |
| 2000 | Ian Preece (WAL) |
Scott MacKenzie (SCO) |
7–4 | 1999/00 |
| 2001 | Luke Simmonds (ENG) |
Brian Morgan (ENG) |
7–5 | 2000/01 |
| 2002 | Paul Sweeny (ENG) |
Scott MacKenzie (SCO) |
4–3 | 2001/02 |
| 2003 | Judd Trump (ENG) |
Mike Hallett (ENG) |
4–2 | 2002/03 |
| 2004 | Stuart Bingham (ENG) |
Wayne Cooper (ENG) |
5–3 | 2003/04 |
| 2005 | Jamie Cope (ENG) |
Mike Finn (ENG) |
5–0 | 2004/05 |
| 2006 | Stuart Bingham (ENG) |
Tom Harris (ENG) |
5–2 | 2005/06 |
| 2007 | Leo Fernandez (IRL) |
Daniel Wells (WAL) |
5–2 | 2006/07 |
| 2008 | David Grace (ENG) |
Nigel Bond (ENG) |
5–1 | 2007/08 |
| 2009 | Stuart Bingham (ENG) |
Matthew Couch (ENG) |
5–1 | 2008/09 |
| 2010 | Nigel Bond (ENG) |
Stephen Craigie (ENG) |
5–2 | 2009/10 |
| 2011 | Leo Fernandez (IRL) |
Sydney Wilson (ENG) |
5–1 | 2010/11 |
Pontins Autumn Open
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Final score | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976[2] | Cliff Wilson (WAL) |
Paul Medati (ENG) |
7–4 | 1976/77 |
| 1977[2] | Billy Kelly (IRE) |
George Scott (ENG) |
7–5 | 1977/78 |
| 1978[2] | Jimmy White (ENG) |
Sid Hood (ENG) |
7–6 | 1978/79 |
| 1979[2] | Tony Knowles (ENG) |
Dave Martin (ENG) |
7–0 | 1979/80 |
| 1980[2] | Paul Medati (ENG) |
Vic Harris (ENG) |
7–4 | 1980/81 |
| 1981 | Bill Oliver (ENG) |
Ian Williamson (ENG) |
7–5 | 1981/82 |
| 1982 | Steve Duggan (ENG) |
Kevin Lowndes (ENG) |
7–3 | 1982/83 |
| 1983 | Roger Bales (ENG) |
Gary Filtness (ENG) |
7–0 | 1983/84 |
| 1984 | Barry West (ENG) |
Gary Hancock (ENG) |
7–3 | 1984/85 |
| 1985 | Gary Bray (ENG) |
Mark Johnston-Allen (ENG) |
7–5 | 1985/86 |
| 1986 |  Tony Wilson (IOM) |
Craig Edwards (ENG) |
5–4 | 1986/87 |
| 1987 | Nick Terry (ENG) |
Mark Johnston-Allen (ENG) |
5–4 | 1987/88 |
| 1988 | Jason Ferguson (ENG) |
Jonathan Birch (ENG) |
5–2 | 1988/89 |
| 1989 | Jonathan Birch (ENG) |
Drew Henry (SCO) |
5–4 | 1989/90 |
| 1990 | Anthony Hamilton (ENG) |
Joe Swail (NIR) |
5–1 | 1990/91 |
| 1991 | Drew Henry (SCO) |
John Read (ENG) |
5–2 | 1991/92 |
| 1992 | Nick Walker (ENG) |
Anthony Harris (ENG) |
5–3 | 1992/93 |
| 1993 | Peter Lines (ENG) |
Andrew Hannah (ENG) |
5–1 | 1993/94 |
| 1994 | John Read (ENG) |
Craig Edwards (ENG) |
5–2 | 1994/95 |
| 1995 | Graeme Dott (SCO) |
Stephen Lee (ENG) |
5–1 | 1995/96 |
| 1996 | Matthew Couch (ENG) |
Gary Ponting (ENG) |
5–4 | 1996/97 |
| 1997 | James McGouran (SCO) |
Matthew Couch (ENG) |
5–3 | 1997/98 |
| 1998 | Matthew Couch (ENG) |
Brian Salmon (ENG) |
5–1 | 1998/99 |
| 1999 | Craig Butler (ENG) |
Matthew Farrant (WAL) |
5–4 | 1999/00 |
| 2000 | Kuldesh Johal (ENG) |
Colin Morton (ENG) |
5–3 | 2000/01 |
| 2001 | Sean O'Neill (NIR) |
Rodney Goggins (IRL) |
5–1 | 2001/02 |
| 2002 | Tim English (WAL) |
Brendan O'Donoghue (IRL) |
5–4 | 2002/03 |
| 2003 | Mark King (ENG) |
Craig Butler (ENG) |
5–4 | 2003/04 |
| 2004 | Stuart Bingham (ENG) |
Mark Davis (ENG) |
4–2 | 2004/05 |
| 2005 | Joe Swail (NIR) |
Dave Harold (ENG) |
5–3 | 2005/06 |
| 2006 | Ryan Day (WAL) |
Jamie Cope (ENG) |
5–2 | 2006/07 |
| 2007 | Jamie Cope (ENG) |
Lee Page (ENG) |
5–0 | 2007/08 |
| 2008 | Craig Steadman (ENG) |
Leo Fernandez (IRL) |
5–0 | 2008/09 |
| 2009 |  Michael Georgiou (CYP) |
David Donovan (WAL) |
5–2 | 2009/10 |
| 2010 | Rob James (ENG) |
Michael Holt (ENG) |
5–4 | 2010/11 |
Pontins World Series
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Final score | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Ken Doherty (IRL) |
Ricky Walden (ENG) |
4–2 | 2006/07 |
| 2007 | Joe Perry (ENG) |
Ricky Walden (ENG) |
4–2 | 2007/08 |
| 2008 | Jamie Cope (ENG) |
Craig Steadman (ENG) |
4–1 | 2008/09 |
| 2009 | Stuart Bingham (ENG) |
Ken Doherty (IRL) |
3–1 | 2009/10 |