Welsh Professional Championship
Tournament information
VenueNewport Centre
LocationCardiff (1922)
Caerphilly (1977)
Ebbw Vale (1980-1984)
Abertillery (1985-1986)
Newport (1987-1991)
CountryWales
Established1977
FormatNon-ranking event
Final year1991
Final championWales Darren Morgan

The Welsh Professional Championship was a professional snooker tournament which was open only for Welsh players. It was the first of the four home countries to revive its national professional championship on a regular basis.

History

The championship was first played in 1922,[1] but it was more than 50 years before Ray Reardon and Doug Mountjoy met, in 1977, for an 'unofficial' Welsh Professional title. Reardon won that encounter 12–8. Even though the event was sponsored by William Hill it wasn't a success and wasn't held again until 1980.[2]

The Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre staged the first official revived championship in 1980 and would host the championship until 1984. The event was sponsored by cider producers H. P. Bulmer, using their Woodpecker brand from 1980 until 1983 and their Strongbow brand in 1984.[2] In 1985 and 1986 the event was held at the Abertillery Leisure Centre. The sponsorship was taken over by BCE for 1985 and Zetters for 1986. The event moved to the Newport Centre in 1985 and remained there until 1991. In the last five years the event had three different sponsors: Matchroom in 1987, Senator Windows between 1988 and 1990, and Regal in 1991.[2]

After the 1991 event Regal withdraw their sponsorship and began to sponsor the Welsh Open – a new ranking event at the same venue, and the Welsh Professional Championship event hasn't been held since then.[2]

Winners

[2]

Year Winner Runner-up Final score Season
Challenge matches
1922[1] Wales J.S Nicholls Wales W. Davies 1032–777[nb 1]
1977 Wales Ray Reardon Wales Doug Mountjoy 12–8 1976/77
Knockout tournaments
1980 Wales Doug Mountjoy Wales Ray Reardon 9–6 1979/80
1981 Wales Ray Reardon Wales Cliff Wilson 9–6 1980/81
1982 Wales Doug Mountjoy Wales Terry Griffiths 9–8 1981/82
1983 Wales Ray Reardon Wales Doug Mountjoy 9–1 1982/83
1984 Wales Doug Mountjoy Wales Cliff Wilson 9–3 1983/84
1985 Wales Terry Griffiths Wales Doug Mountjoy 9–4 1984/85
1986 Wales Terry Griffiths Wales Doug Mountjoy 9–3 1985/86
1987 Wales Doug Mountjoy Wales Steve Newbury 9–7 1986/87
1988 Wales Terry Griffiths Wales Wayne Jones 9–3 1987/88
1989 Wales Doug Mountjoy Wales Terry Griffiths 9–6 1988/89
1990 Wales Darren Morgan Wales Doug Mountjoy 9–7 1989/90
1991 Wales Darren Morgan Wales Mark Bennett 9–3 1990/91
  1. ↑ Aggregate score over 18 frames.

References

  1. 1 2 Snooker Scene. September 1977. p. 19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Turner, Chris. "Welsh Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
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